Breaking from the Ordinary
by Burntcore
Summary: Bella owns a small bar in town & is fairly happy with her life so far. But it all changes when he walks into her bar, looking lost & confused. AU/AH BxE JxA RxE
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning and a Tour

**A/N Special thanks to my friend Jenn who was my first beta and helped me from switching tenses (the bane of my existence). Also BIG thanks to all the great peeps at PTB for their awesome help. I am a COMMA QUEEN! For those who have read this before... not much has changed...is just now much better!**

**As always... I do not own Twilight... *sigh***

BPOV

I looked around my bar, Midnight Sun, and smiled to myself. I still couldn't believe this place was mine even though I felt sad at the same time. I wouldn't have been able to buy it without the life insurance money I had received after Mom died. I knew in my heart that she'd be happy that I was able to do what I had always dreamed about doing with the money.

I idly wiped off some of the empty tables while some local band played a set of mediocre covers in the back of the bar where there was a small stage. _I__ really need to get some more original groups in this place_, I thought to myself. I made a mental note to start paying attention to the music scene around the Cleveland area a bit more so I could find some better talent. Nothing would clear a bar faster than bad music.

Jessica Stanley, one of my waitresses, hopped over to me in her usual bubbly manner. "Hi Bella!"

"Hi Jessica. How are your tables doing tonight?" Jessica was an old friend from high school. We were never best friends back then but was someone I had hung out with from time to time. Once we graduated and got out of the high school clichés, we actually got a lot closer. She was still gossipy but she had become someone I could rely on and was a good friend.

She beamed. "They are awesome tonight. Everybody is digging the music so they're tipping well. Good call on the band!"

I winced internally. _Well, as long as it keeps people in here, I suppose I can continue to put up with this kind of musical mediocrity._ I returned to the bar and got a beer for a patron. He flashed me a smile and put a five dollar bill on the counter. "Thanks sweetheart."

I forced a return smile. I hated being called sweetheart, or honey, or babe, or any kind of endearment from someone I did not know. I was not his sweetheart. I picked up the bill and got his change. As I was walking back to him, he waved his hand for me to keep the change. I smiled again, actually meaning it a bit more this time.

Time passed fairly quickly that night. It was a typical Friday night so the crowd was steady, but not too busy. I could see Jessica bobbing around her tables, making sure everyone was taken care of, but spending more time at the tables with the cuter guys. _Typical Jess_, I thought to myself.

I leaned against the back of the bar and looked up at the small television that was in the corner of the room. Some gossip show, like TMZ or Entertainment Weekly, was on doing their usual spiel about this actor or that celebrity or whatever stalker-like activity suited them. They were talking about some actress and her crazy escapades with her some of her former and current male co-stars. Apparently she was not picky in her choice of companions. I shook my head a little, amazed that this was actually newsworthy. But, inexplicably, I kept watching.

Jessica walked over by me to catch a glimpse of the show. She loved these kinds of shows. The next story dealt with a young actor and musician named Edward Cullen. Jessica made an appreciative sound. "He is just so gorgeous. I wish I could meet him. I'd do whatever he asked me to!" She winked at me so I'd know exactly what she meant about that.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Jess, people like that don't associate with people like us. We're incredibly ordinary."

But Jessica was right about one thing, he was exceptionally gorgeous. Edward Cullen was a pretty good musician, too. I had a few of his songs on my iPod. I hadn't had a chance to see any of his movies yet. He only had one blockbuster out so far. The rest of his films were all small, independent films.

She giggled at me and said, "All the same, what I wouldn't do to be alone in a room with him for a few hours. I'm not as shy as you are. I'd show him how unordinary I am!"

I shook my head and shoved her gently, teasing her. "You are such a perv! Your tables are adoring you again. Why don't you go expend some of those Edward Cullen hormones on them and get yourself some more tips?"

"Sure thing, Bella-boss!" She sauntered off to her tables to try to flirt more money off the unsuspecting and inebriated guys.

Shaking my head again, I glanced back to the show that was still talking about Edward Cullen. Apparently he was in a bit of a tough spot. The entertainment reporter continued with her story: "Edward's rise to fame has become a bit much for this shy actor and musician. After last year's blockbuster movie and the legions of screaming fans, Edward's behavior has become more and more erratic. He didn't show for a scheduled interview a month ago. Then he showed up at AIDS charity dinner, where he froze as he was supposed to give a keynote speech. And then there are the stories about him in the bars; drinking and getting more and more belligerent with people when he is approached. His friends are worried that the instant fame and his inability to deal with it are turning him an alcoholic."

The reporter turned to a video of a very drunk Edward Cullen stumbling down a sidewalk in New York City while cameras flash away as he shouted at no one in particular. "Not surprising, this downward spiral has kept Edward quite single. His erratic behavior is rumored at keeping even the most aggressive the ladies away. We have also learned that his record label is considering dropping him due to all the negative publicity. Only time will tell but we will be the ones to tell you first!" The show then continued to other stories about other celebrities.

I turned away from the show and back to the bar as more people walked in. I groaned to myself when I realized that my least favorite person was here: Mike Sullivan. He was such a pig. _Why do I even bother to let him come here?_

"Hiya there, Bella! How about you serve me up something tall and frosty?" The pig plopped own on a barstool and leered at me.

"Here you go, Mike." I handed him a bottle of the beer that he usually ordered and tried to plan how I could avoid him as much as possible while he was here. My other bartender was on his lunch break so I couldn't just escape to my office. _If I could avoid making eye contact with Mike and stay at the other end of the bar until the end of Ben's lunch break, I should be able to survive_. I turned to busy myself behind the bar with something so he wouldn't try to talk to me. It didn't work.

"Belllaaahh… have I told you how beautiful you are? We really should get together. You would love being on my boat." He leaned over the bar from his stool and continued to ogle at me.

"You tell me every time you're here Mike. For the hundredth time, I do not want to go out with you and I do not want to go out on your boat." I sighed, turning to look at him with a disinterested expression and crossed my arms across my chest.

"Awww, Bella. You know how persistent I am. I'll just keep asking until you till you give in." He reached his hand out and grabbed my arm, trying to bring me closer to the front of the bar.

I glared coldly at him, pulling my arm from his grasp. "Mike, if you touch me again I will punch you in the face and throw you out of here."

"Don't be that way, honey! It's all good." He smirked, still leering at me as he sat back down in his seat.

I continued to glare at him. _I need to beef up my security in this place_, I thought to myself. _He's been getting far too bold with me. Lord only knows what he could be doing to Jessica or the other girls here._

The other bartender came back from his break so I eagerly left the bar and went back into the office to do some work. I had been working on plans to see if I could add a restaurant to the bar. We had a small kitchen already that could make a limited amount of bar food, but I wanted to expand it into an actual restaurant. I already had some ideas for the menu. _One step at a time_, I thought to myself. Engrossing myself in my research, I was able to put grabby Mike Sullivan out of my mind.

---------------

About a week later, a flushed and excited Jessica came flying into the Midnight Sun with a piece of paper clutched in her hand. She ran in so fast she couldn't even speak at first.

Thankfully none of the patrons were disturbed by her exuberant entrance since she arrived before the happy hour crowd began pouring in. I watched her try to collect her breath with one eyebrow raised, curious.

"So what is so important that you would come running into work an hour before your shift starts?" I asked. A part of me was afraid of the answer. Jessica could be excited by a whole number of different crazy things.

"Two words!" she said.

"Um...two words what?" I asked. She looked at me like I was stupid and should know what she was talking about.

"Edward Cullen!"

"What about him?"

She rolled her eyes. "Really Bella, I thought you would know already since you like his music."

"I like a lot of people's music. That doesn't mean I keep track of their every move. I do have a business to run here."

"Edward Cullen is going on tour!" she exclaimed ecstatically.

"Okay... and?" I was almost afraid to see where this was going.

"It's a small tour, just some of the smaller venues across the country before he has to start shooting his next movie. He is doing this so his record label doesn't drop him. And the best part is, he's coming to Cleveland!" She started jumping up and down like a kid in middle school at a Jonas Brothers concert.

That's cool," I replied. The show would probably be pretty good. Smaller venues were really the best places to see an artist. A part of the magic was lost in the stadiums and arenas that the super-groups liked to play in.

"COOL?! IT'S AWESOME! Can I have that day off? PLEEEEEASE?" She was about ready to get down on her hands and knees and beg.

_Too bad I don't have a camera for this._

"What day is it?" She showed me the article she printed from the Internet with the rather short list of tour dates. "Wow, only six stops. Those tickets are going to be hard to come by." Jessica frowned. "But if you get a ticket, you can have the day off. I'll see if I can get someone to fill in for you that Friday."

Jessica leapt up and knocked me over in a bear hug. She quickly scrambled out of the way and helped me up.

"Jeez, Jess... you do remember what a klutz I am, right?" I rubbed my butt where I had landed on the floor.

She looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry Bella. I really am. I was just so happy!! You are the best boss ever!"

"Just remember that when I need you to work a double."

"I will! I promise!!" She hesitated a bit, another question on her lips. "I have another favor to ask... um... if that's okay?"

"Out with it, Jess."

"Can I use your computer to buy the tickets? My computer died on me. I ended up printing this," she gestured to the paper she brought, "at the library. I don't want to buy the tickets on a public computer."

I hesitated. It may be a 'work' computer, but it was still mine and still had a significant amount of personal information on it. However, I had known Jessica since high school so she already knew a lot about me anyway. I finally nodded. "Just that site though. I don't want to have to spend the evening trying to get rid of a virus or something."

"Yes ma'am! Thank you sooooo much!" She happily skipped away from the bar and into my office.

I finished cleaning up the bar from the afternoon rush. I needed to restock before happy hour started, and I hoped I wouldn't be visited by my least favorite grab-ass today. I really didn't want to have to hire more security for the sake of Mike Sullivan, but I really didn't want to deal with him again either.

Happy hour started, and people began coming in to unwind after their workdays. Midnight Sun was in a small, rural town, and there weren't a lot of jobs available for the local residents, so the majority of regulars were coming back from the city on their way home.

The rest of the evening was ordinary and uneventful. Jessica was in a great mood all night after successfully getting her concert tickets, and it showed by the amount of tips and business she was able to garner. _I should give her days off more often_, I thought to myself with a chuckle. _Well thank you, Mr. Edward Cullen, for being such a great motivator._ I laughed out loud at that thought. _I should thank him the next time I see him. _I chuckled again as I wiped down the bar. _Edward Cullen, here in Ohio, in my bar? Yeah, right. _

**A/N Thanks for reading! Please rate & review!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Odeon & Homesick

**A/N Special thanks to my friend Jenn who was my first beta and helped me from switching tenses. Also BIG thanks to all the great peeps at PTB for their awesome help. I am a COMMA QUEEN! **

**Still don't own Twilight.**

EPOV

I had some time before I had to leave the Renaissance Hotel and head to the venue in the Flats. I found myself staring out of the window of my hotel room, just letting my mind wander as I looked out over the Cleveland skyline.

I had been in Cleveland a few times before on tour. One of those times I had even managed to see my little brother Emmett, who played for the Seattle Mariners, play against the Cleveland Indians. It was a happy coincidence that he had a game here against the Indians the night after one of my shows. I didn't have another show for a few days, so I was able to spend an extra day here.

Emmett was one of the best outfielders that the Seattle Mariners had in the past several years. He loved his job and was very glad he wasn't considered a rookie anymore. The Mariners won that night, which made me even happier that I was able to see the game and share in his victory.

I sighed and my mind returned to the job ahead of me. I really did not want to do this tour. I loved to play music, to just sit with my guitar and sing or play but my soul was not in this tour. Unfortunately, the executives at my recording label were really put out with my behavior recently and this was the last straw for them. Either I did this or I had to find a new label.

A small part of me still cared, but a larger part of me was just tired, so tired of all of it. It was so much easier to just drink it away -- to exist in a haze of alcohol. Then the screaming fans didn't bother me so much. The paparazzi cameras intruding on every part of my life didn't bother me so much. My life didn't bother me so much. The fans seemed to find me wherever I went and half of them didn't even call me by name. They called me by my characters' names, even at my concerts. Who was more delusional? Me, the actor and occasional musician on the road to alcoholism or some infatuated fan that thought a fictional character was real?

I took another drink from the glass next to my chair. After I drained the glass I refilled it from the bottle next to it. _Should I even bother with a glass?_ I thought to myself. _In denial still; I'll continue with the attempt at civility._

To be honest, I was terrified of it all. The screaming people, the mass of bodies all clamoring for a piece of me. They didn't want _me_, they wanted their perception of what or who I was -- a fictional projection. Nothing real.

Some people thought I should be flattered over all the attention, and at first I was. I thought it was great. I was thrilled that I was finally getting recognition. People were coming to my concerts to listen to _my_ music. People actually went and saw a movie because _I_ was in it. But it just got so crazy so fast. I was only twenty-five and other people my age were just starting their careers. What did I possibly know at this age to help me deal with all this insanity?

I sighed again. It was so much simpler before -- before the movies, before the blockbuster. I could just be me. I was able to focus on my music more. I could walk down the street and not be recognized. I loved to act, but music was my soul.

I remember my mother, Esme, encouraging me to take music lessons as a child. My father was a successful doctor and could afford to pay for the best lessons. When I showed an interest in piano and guitar, they bought me one of each for Christmas one year. A little extravagant, but they were like that with all their children at Christmas. Back then, living in a small town in Washington State, I was able to play for myself and my family, simply for my love of music. I was able to create. It was hard to imagine that such a sunless place like Forks, Washington would inspire such creativity, but it did all the same.

I shook my head. I couldn't remember the last time I wrote a new song. I started to wonder if I even knew how anymore.

My manager, Marcus, broke me of my dark thoughts as he walked into the room. Sometimes I just had this urge to punch him. He was my friend but a jackass at the same time.

"Time to go dazzle your fans." Marcus gestured towards the open door.

I glared at him and took another sip of my drink. "Go fuck off Marcus."

Marcus' eyes furrowed down to me, anger darkening them. "Edward, you need this. You know what will happen if you blow this off. Your music career will be over. No label will want to pick you up."

This was one of those times where I wanted to hit him.

I finished off my glass and set it down on the table as I got up. "I know, Marcus. Thank you for the friendly reminder about the status of my career," I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Marcus glanced at the bottle on the table and looked at me with real concern in his eyes. "Edward, you need to cut this shit out. All this drinking is not good for you. If it was a glass of wine after a show to unwind, that I could deal with. But drinking half a bottle of vodka just to get going is not a good sign."

"Relax Marcus. I only had two glasses this afternoon. I started that bottle last night when we got in to Cleveland." I really wanted to punch him now. I really didn't care what he thought of my drinking habits.

Marcus' face visibly relaxed. "Good. Hopefully you'll actually have a good show this time. We've wasted enough time here. Come on, we really need to go."

I followed Marcus out of my room, picking up my guitar case on the way out. _All these hotels look the same. Even the fanciest hotel looks like a roach motel after awhile. _I shook my head to try to clear my thoughts and focus on my concert.

Marcus, my two bodyguards, and I walked into the parking garage at the hotel. Marcus walked towards the SUV to drive me to the Odeon. I stopped him before he got too far.

"I'm going to drive myself this time. I know how to get there. It would be nice to not be chauffeured around for once."

Marcus looked like he was going to object, but didn't after seeing something in my eyes. "Fine, just make sure you're there on time. If you take off before the show, I am done with you. Friends or not," he warned.

"Yes, dear," I replied, rolling my eyes. My two bodyguards got in the backseat of my rented silver Volvo when I hopped in the driver's seat. "See you in a bit Marcus."

I sped out of the parking garage and raced around Public Square. The Odeon was literally a mile from the hotel but I needed this. I needed to be in control of something for once. The vodka I had been nursing before no longer shrouded me in its protective haze. I had a few moments of clarity that I hadn't had in some time. This was a small bit of freedom before the shackles clamped down on my wrists, on my soul, on my life again.

Before Marcus could worry that I ran off on him, I eventually made my way down into the east bank of the Flats on Old River Road. Marcus was already there, anxiously looking for my silver Volvo to appear. When he finally saw me coming down the road, he directed me to a parking spot across the street from the entrance. It was still early enough that there was only a small crowd of people waiting to get in. There were a lot of cops around to help keep the crowd under control as it got closer to the start time. Once I got out of my car, the crowd went nuts. They all started shouting out at me. I grabbed my guitar and walked as quickly as I could to the venue entrance.

"Edward, I love you!"

"Robert! Robert! Robert!"

I fought the desire to yell out at them what my name really was. _MY NAME IS EDWARD!_

I was overcome with anger. I felt like a piece of meat on display at a butcher shop. It wouldn't matter what I told them. Their delusion was utterly complete and unbreakable. Some people could not separate Edward Cullen, the actor, from Robert Pattinson, the fictional character from a movie. Robert was only a character I played, it was not who I was. While I was thankful for the role that put me on the map, I still wished people could look past the character and see _me._

Some of the girls in the front of the line started crying when they saw me. _Come on now, really?_ I rushed into the Odeon followed closely by Marcus and my bodyguards.

Time for the sound checks.

-------

I had always enjoyed the sound checks; it was the calm before the storm. It was when I was able to really be one with my music. There weren't tons of people around…just me, the house band, and the tech crew doing their rounds before the show. As always, it went by quicker than I would have wished.

After I was done, I waited in my dressing room, if that is what you could call it. It was pretty much a glorified closet with a mirror and a stool, but I didn't need anything fancy. My sister would probably have a fit at these kinds of accommodations. Thankfully she never went on tour with me. _Evil pixie_, I thought to myself, laughing. _Nothing is every pretty enough for her._ Thinking of my sister made me think about home again. Alice was a party coordinator in Seattle, and she had a thriving business making somebody's day as pretty and perfect as it could be. And, boy, did she love to shop. She was perpetually put out with me that I hadn't brought anyone home yet for her to go shopping with. She said she could only go shopping so often with Rosalie, Emmett's beautiful but vain wife. She needed someone new. I don't think she'd want me to bring someone home from the crowd I'm normally around, though. The Hollywood type girls and the groupies did not make for good relationships.

I stared at the reflection in the mirror. My bronze hair was a mess, as usual. No comb or brush could ever calm it down. It went where it wanted to when it wanted to. I did my best to just keep it off my face. My green eyes looked back at me, accusingly. I had circles under my eyes from lack of sleep. My eyes were somewhat bloodshot from the alcohol too. _Great._ I quickly tried to find some eye drops to try to minimize the redness. Seeing that they are only going to truly get better if I stopped drinking, I gave up and straightened my clothes out, trying to pull out an invisible wrinkle. _Not like it matters with jeans_, I laughed to myself. I stood up and stretched, trying to motivate myself as Marcus came in.

"Show time, Edward." He smiled at me, encouragingly, hoping that I would put on a good show tonight. The past couple of shows in the tour had gone okay but I think he was worried that the other shoe was going to drop.

"Let's get this over with," I grimaced. Already I could hear the fans outside chanting my name. At least this time they were getting my name right.

As I walked on stage with my guitar, the crowd erupted in cheers and screams. My mostly female fan base pressed as close to the stage as they could. The Odeon's security crew kept them back with about a foot to spare. I smiled, genuinely this time. I did enjoy playing. I truly did. I loved that the fans were so excited and supportive. When it went overboard is when I hated being up here.

I walked up to the microphone and smiled again, brushing my hair off my forehead. The crowd cheered again. "How is everybody tonight?"

The crowd screamed with delight, getting louder every minute.

I nodded to the band and they started the intro to the first song. I closed my eyes and tried to put myself into the music. I strummed my guitar and began to sing. The crowd cheered even louder, some even singing along with me. It was hard to hear myself over the din. I leaned closer to the monitors trying to hear.

We played a few more songs as I continued to struggle to keep my focus. I could barely hear myself think, much less sing or play over the crowd. The Odeon wasn't large and it was fully packed. The monitors on the stage were supposed to help us hear ourselves but I couldn't hear a damn thing. I started to doubt that the crowd could even hear me. I turned to the band and whispered to them to play a different song. All three of them looked at me in surprise, but finally nodded and started into a faster tempo.

I carefully watched the crowd as I started the new song. No one seemed to notice the change. That sickened me. I was playing a Brittney Spears song for Christ sake! They still cheered along, oblivious, actually getting louder. I stopped playing entirely. They continued to cheer. Even the band behind me continued to play. They couldn't even hear that I had stopped playing. I looked over the crowd again. One particularly enamored fan leaned over the security line and screamed "I LOVE YOU ROBERT!"

That was it. I was done. I walked off the stage, guitar in hand. I grabbed my stuff from my dressing room and headed out to my car. I could still hear the crowd from outside on the street as I looked up and saw my name on the marquee. I shook my head and got in my car and drove away. As I peeled around the corner, I saw Marcus run out of the Odeon. He was livid and had his phone in hand. I turned my cell phone off, stuck it in my pocket, and drove on.

I went north after leaving the Odeon, heading toward the lake. It was the one thing here that reminded me of home. Forks wasn't far from the Pacific Ocean and I had spent a lot of time at First Beach in La Push growing up. Lake Erie was just a hair smaller than the Pacific and didn't have the pleasant saltwater scent, but it was still water. When I could go north no further, I turned west. I wasn't sure where I was going, but I didn't want to lose sight of the lake.

I must have driven for about an hour, not really paying attention where I was headed, before I really started to take in my surroundings. I was driving through a small town, a sleepy little rural suburb. There were still people about the town but it definitely wasn't Cleveland.

As I drove, I passed a sign on the side of the road. "Welcome to Vermilion, Home of the Sailors"

_Vermilion, eh? Reminds me of home. Small town, no hustle or bustle. No screaming, rabid fans out for blood._

I continued through town, enjoying the view, watching people go about their evening.

I hadn't even realized I had pulled off the road until I had parked in front of a bar, towards the end of the main drag of town. If I had continued farther west I would have left the city entirely and lost myself into the countryside. The parking lot was almost half full, which was not a bad turnout in such a small city. I got out of my Volvo and looked around. I felt my cell phone in my pocket and thought: _I guess I should call Marcus before he sends out the army to look for me._

I turned on my phone on and laughed as my voicemail lights up with five new messages. All were from Marcus, of course. I dialed his number and prepare for the onslaught.

Marcus' voice spat out furiously from my phone. I think people across town could have heard him ranting. "Edward? What the hell? Where the hell are you? Why the hell did you leave? Do you know what the label is going to do-"

I cut him off before his tirade could go any further. "I'm fine Marcus, thanks for asking."

He sighed on the other end of the phone, exasperated.

"I'm in a parking lot of some bar. I just couldn't do it anymore Marcus. Those people, my alleged fans, couldn't even hear what I was playing. I actually STOPPED playing and they still screamed. And they weren't even screaming my name. I don't think they even cared that I was there. This is just insane. I need a break."

"What bar are you at Edward?"

I looked around to see if I could find the name. I found a sign by the main entrance. "I'm at some place called Midnight Sun."

"Where the hell is that?"

I didn't want to tell him exactly where I was at yet. I knew he would come looking for me.

"I don't know" I lied.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Marcus' voice ratcheted up in volume.

"I don't know. When I left, I just started driving. I need some time to unwind but I'll call you later. Please do not come find me." I hung up on him as he was starting to speak. I said what I needed to say. Before Marcus could call me back, I turned my phone off. I had a feeling he was already online trying to find this place. _Hopefully he'll just be satisfied that he knows where I am._

I leaned up against the side of my car as my actions of the evening came crashing down on me. I had never bolted from a show before. _What have I done? _I looked at my guitar in the passenger seat of the car. _The label is definitely going to drop me now._ _At least I can play for myself still. _I glanced at the door to the bar again.

_Might as well go in and have a drink._

**A/N Please rate and review!**


	3. Chapter 3: Dumbstruck

**A/N Hey kids! Yes, its back and better than ever. I have done a lot of changes to the format of the story. If you have read everything I've posted prior, this will be familiar but better! I've merged some chapters together that seemed to flow well together... and this will also mirror what is on Twilighted so there isn't any confusion. Major props to the great people at Project Team Beta. They are awesome. And of course, I don't own Twilight...**

BPOV

Tonight was an ordinary Friday nigh with the typical crowd. Jessica was at the Edward Cullen concert, and I had finally hired my friend, Jacob Black, to help out with security. He was a big guy, and I didn't expect that anyone would dare to mess with him.

Jacob had to be nearly 6'7" with muscled, dusky skin and short, jet black hair. He towered over my petite frame when I stood next to him. Watching him stand by the door reminded me of how I met him.

We were both freshmen in college, and one day I had walked into the student union and tripped over the door jamb. He was standing right by the door and caught me before I fell. After that, it wasn't long before we became close friends.

We had a brief romantic relationship during college, but that was long over. _If by brief, you mean a two-year relationship where you ended up breaking the poor guy's heart, _I thought to myself, _then, yeah_. He was really a better friend than I ever deserved to have, especially after we broke up. I still thought he moved up here after graduation to be near me; there was no other explanation for why he would want to live here when all of his family was down south. But I was glad to have his friendship regardless.

I hadn't hired a band for this weekend, so we had the jukebox playing throughout the evening. The corner TV was on too. I glanced over at it to see what was on. The 11 o'clock news had just started the weather segment. _I wonder how off they are going to be this time,_ I thought to myself, laughing silently.

I had bent down to get another case of beer from the cabinet behind the bar when I heard the front door swing open. I heard Jake's voice greet the newcomer, "How ya doin'?" There was a soft "Hi" in response.

As I heard the newcomer's footsteps approach the bar, I turned to put the beer in the front cooler. I started to look up and opened my mouth to speak.

"Hi there. Welcome to Mid-" I stopped mid-sentence when I saw him.

I found myself staring into the most breathtaking, and slightly bloodshot, pair of green eyes I had ever seen. I was so startled that I dropped the two bottles of beer in my hand. They shattered when they hit the floor, soaking my shoes and splattering beer everywhere. I blushed furiously as everyone in the bar turned to see what happened. A few patrons hooted at me for wasting beer and abusing alcohol.

I snapped my head down to watch my footing as I quickly walked over to the end of the bar to grab the dustpan and broom to clean up the mess. The broom and dustpan were always kept propped at the end of the bar within easy reach because of the number of accidents that occurred, mostly due to my clumsy nature. As I reached for the broom handle, I felt a bolt of electricity shoot down my arm. I snatched my hand back and looked over to find the source of the shock and looking at me with a similarly shocked expression were those same green eyes that caused this mess. Eyes that belonged to the most stunning man I had ever seen, who was holding on to the broom handle exactly where I had tried to grab it. I had watched the floor so intently so I wouldn't slip on the beer or broken glass that I didn't even notice that he had moved down the other side of the bar to get the broom.

Not even in a fantasy could a man possibly look this good and be real. He was tall and lean, but not skinny. His skin was as fair as my own. _I bet he turns red in the sun like I do,_ I thought to myself. This mystery man also had a mop of tousled bronze hair on his head that my hands just itched to bury themselves in. His face was chiseled in a way that would make a sculptor cry for joy. The black t-shirt he wore was just snug enough for me to see that underneath was a well-toned chest.

"Uh, hi," I stammered, suddenly nervous and embarrassed that I was staring at him. My blush crept up to my hairline and I extended my hand for the broom. "Um, I can take that. Thanks." _Man, I sound like an idiot! And staring at him too…he probably thinks I'm a freak._

He smiled down at me and my heart just about stopped.

"Let me help you. It will make up for me startling you like that." His voice was simply divine, soft but sweet. It could melt butter in a deep freezer. I didn't think I would ever forget the sound of his voice, even if I never heard it again. His expression was still startled, but cautious now, and he had bags under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept well in some time.

It only took a few minutes to clean up the mess behind the bar, and every moment I was aware of how excruciatingly close his body was to mine. Wild fantasies about throwing him down on the floor and having my way with him made me blush continuously. _Jess would be so proud of me, thinking this way._ I smiled and then blushed again. I had never thought this way about anyone before, not even strong, handsome Jacob.

Obviously I had a strong physical attraction to this man, but there was something more to him, something deeper that called to me. I think it was his eyes. There was something in his green eyes that drew me in. They say that a person's eyes are a window to the soul. Perhaps our souls were connected in some way. Perhaps I was just crazy to be thinking such thoughts about a complete stranger. Perhaps he was the ying to my yang. Perhaps I should return to the planet Earth where things like soul mates only occurred in the movies or in romance novels. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Feelings like this just weren't natural or healthy.

After the mess was cleaned up, the beyond-handsome stranger sat down and stared at his hands as they rested on the bar. The initial shock following his entrance faded somewhat, and he seemed to withdraw into himself. After taking some drinks to a table, I came back over to the bar and leaned against one of the coolers to look at him again. A part of me thought I was imagining all of this. I was tempted to pinch myself to see if I was awake. He truly was the most gorgeous man I had ever seen, and I couldn't help but think that he looked somewhat familiar. I couldn't imagine where I might possibly know him from, though.

He looked like he didn't want to talk and continued to stare at his hands, lost in his thoughts. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I spoke up. I wanted to hear his voice again.

"Thank you for your help cleaning up the mess. I really appreciate it. As I was trying to say when you walked in, welcome to the Midnight Sun. What would you like to drink?"

The stranger looked up at me in surprise. I must have shaken him out of some deep reverie. "You're welcome. It was the least I could do for startling you." He thought for a moment, looking over the collection of bottles behind the bar before choosing. "I'll have a Corona with a lime please." He smiled crookedly at me.

My heart felt like it stopped again when he smiled at me. _Why does this guy have this effect on me?_ I dug a Corona out of the cooler, popped the top off, and grabbed a lime in one smooth motion. _I may not be graceful, but repetition does have its merits! _I snagged a napkin from a pile on the counter and placed both in front of him.

"Thank you. My name is…" he hesitated, which I thought was strange. "Anthony."

"I'm Bella."

He smiled that crooked smile of his again. "Pleased to meet you, Bella."

I almost choked when I tried to talk again. That smile was disarming. Dealing with the strange pull his eyes had for me was almost too much, but to also have to contend with that smile of his was not doing me any favors. This man was dangerous to the survival of my sanity.

"Likewise." I started blushing again, so I quickly turned my head so he wouldn't see. As I stood facing the mirrored back of the bar, I could see him watching me with a strange look on his face that I didn't understand. I busied myself with some unnecessary cleaning, whatever I could to keep myself occupied.

He took a swig of his beer and looked around. It almost looked like he was trying to hide. I was walking back up from the other side of the bar when the news reported a breaking story about a musician in the area. Anthony looked like he was going to choke on his beer. I looked at him quizzically, surprised by his reaction. I turned to the television and listened to the reporter.

"Fans of Edward Cullen were disappointed this evening when the musician suddenly left his show at the Odeon in the middle of his set. No one has seen him since his hasty departure. When we contacted his manager to see what happened, he would only comment that Cullen needed to take care of some things, that Cullen apologizes to all of his fans, and that a make-up show is in the works. When asked about the remaining shows on Cullen's tour, his manager had no further comment."

The camera panned away from the reporter and eventually the screen returned to the news studio as the rest of the evening news went on. Anthony's eyes darted up to me, panicked.

I chuckled, trying not to show that I noticed his panicked look. "Man, Jess is going to be so pissed."

Anthony looked at me, more chagrined now than anything. "Why?"

"She was there tonight. I gave her the day off so she could go."

Anthony actually looked a bit guilty.

_Weird._

"Oh, wow, that sucks. Wait, you gave her the day off? You own this place?" he asked, relief evident in his eyes.

"Yep. I bought it a few years ago after my mom passed away." I looked around proudly. All I had wanted since I was in high school was my own bar, and I accomplished it. People in school didn't think I'd ever do it. They thought that I was too shy to run a business, and too klutzy to be in a darkened room that served alcohol without killing myself, either by falling or tripping on something.

Anthony's eyebrows raised in appreciation. "This is a nice place. My sympathies about your mom." His eyes locked with mine briefly, showing genuine sympathy.

"Thanks. It was awhile ago, and I've dealt with it. I still miss her, and always will, but what else can I do?" I was madly trying to figure out how to get off this topic. Talking about my mother would only make me sad and depressed. It had been a few years since her death but I still missed her a great deal. Talking about her always brought the invariable guilt I felt over the years I lost with her when I moved to Ohio. I cherished the time I got to spend with Charlie, but it came at the expense of less time with Renee. If I had known then that her time was so short, perhaps I would have stuck it out and stayed in Phoenix. I blinked my eyes rapidly to keep them from watering. I needed to change this topic before the conversation was driven into the ground or I started crying. Nothing turned customers and attractive men away more than depressed and weepy women.

"Not much, that is for sure." He stopped. It looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't. He looked down at his hands again.

I tried to restart the conversation. "So what brings you out this way?"

I wanted to know everything I could about this Anthony, who I had a feeling wasn't an Anthony at all. A part of me worried that he might be a bad person, like a fugitive, but a much larger part vehemently disagreed. It was strange to be making such a call on his character when I barely knew him, but it just seemed _wrong_ to think of him in a negative light. As a bartender, I had prided myself on being a good judge of character. Being in this business opened up the floodgates to the different types of people in our society. Even in this small town, every personality type had passed through my doors at some point. Perhaps this was why I felt safe with Anthony. His eyes, while haunted, still had a kindness to them that I instinctually trusted. He was a mystery man, running or hiding from something.

He looked up at me pensively. "I'm not sure, to be perfectly honest. I was driving along, not really paying attention to where I was going, and I ended up here."

"Well I'm glad you're here." _Good God, did I just say that? What kind idiot does this guy think I must be? Jeez._

He smiled at me again, shyly this time. "Me, too."

I blushed again. _How does he do that?_

I left the bar area then so I could tend to a few of the tables. It was starting to wind down, and the other waitstaff shifts were ending. I could feel his eyes watching me as I walked about the room. I concentrated as hard as I could, keeping one foot in front of another so I wouldn't trip or fall and make an ass out of myself again.

As I walked by the entrance, Jacob touched my arm. "What's up with that guy?" he growled.

"Nothing. He's just having a beer." Jacob glared at Anthony, arms across his chest. "Oh relax, Jacob. He's fine. He seems like a nice guy." He rolled his eyes at me and stood a little straighter. I laughed as I walked away, back towards the bar.

Anthony had a curious look on his face as he heard me laughing. But he tried to hide it quickly as he saw me approach. I smiled at him as I walked by behind him. "Another beer, Anthony?"

He didn't reply. It was like I hadn't even spoken to him. I walked behind the bar and faced him.

"Anthony? Yoo hoo! Anthony!" He looked up at me, sheepishly.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were talking to me. Yes, I'll have another."

I shook my head, more convinced now that Anthony was not his real name. I got him another beer and placed it on the bar in front of him.

He seemed lost in his thoughts again as I cut up some fresh limes. I tried to watch him on the sly from the corners of my eyes as I sliced. He was just gorgeous and seemed like a genuinely nice person too. I felt strangely drawn to him-- to this man I had only met just minutes before. Again I was shaken with the feeling that we were connected in a deep way, deeper than I was prepared to deal with at the moment.

Anthony looked down at his beer, then suddenly back up at me. "Do you want to dance?" he asked me in a rush.

My eyes popped open, surprised. Me? Dancing? That was dangerous, especially if touching him meant getting shocked again. Would that be such a bad thing?

"I'm not a very good dancer."

He looked down, trying to hid what looked like disappointment.

"But, hey, practice makes perfect right?"

His face snapped up, a big crooked smile plastered there. "Yes, yes it does!"

Just then, the next song on the jukebox starting playing; it was a slow rock song. I smiled because it was one of my favorites, "Crash Into Me" by the Dave Matthews Band. He stood up and extended his hand to me as I walked around the bar. As soon as our hands touched, the electric fire was back. We looked at each other, both startled, but not letting go of each other's hand. I tried to remember to breathe as we walked to the small dance floor by the jukebox. When he stopped walking, I almost fell over.

"You okay?" He asked, a smile tickling the corner of his lips. _Those lips._

"Um.. yeah. Just uncoordinated." I looked down, embarrassed. It felt like I was in high school again at some stupid school dance.

He looked down at me and reached his other hand out to my waist, pulling me closer to him. Shots of electricity ran from his fingertips and spread down my legs and up my side. He held my other hand out formally, and I rested my free hand on his upper arm, closing my eyes. _Please don't let this be a dream._ He started to sway slowly back and forth to the music. I supposed this really wasn't dancing, but it was as close to dancing as I was comfortable with. He was taller than what I had first thought. The top of my head only came up to his shoulder.

I looked up at him when he started humming. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he stopped. "No, don't stop," I said. "It sounded nice. It's cool that you like music."

He smiled softly at me, but shook his head. "Another time perhaps." There was a sadness in his eyes I couldn't understand.

We continued to dance, merely swaying to the beat. I was in heaven. I had never danced with a patron before, but this was different. He was different. It scared me.

The next song started, and Anthony froze. His eyes about jumped out of his head. The next song was by Edward Cullen, "Don't Think." I looked at him, surprised by his reaction. Then it hit me.

His name wasn't Anthony at all.

Anthony was Edward Cullen.

**A/N Please read and review!**

**I had a prior Author's note set up as a separate chapter. For those that may have missed it, here is the jist. **

**I'm not a big fan of these types of Author's Notes but I wanted to give all of my readers an idea of what is going on since I have not posted a new chapter recently. I felt there was some major grammatical work that my story needed as well as further development to parts of the story. The overall plotline will not change. It will just make more sense to read and be more mature than what I wrote before (the rating itself will not change just the quality of the writing). Currently I am working with the great people at Project Team Beta to make my story shine. I have pulled everything from FF that hasn't gone through PTB (which is why we are only on Chapter 3). When you get updates now, they will be the new and improved Breaking From the Ordinary.**

**Thank you for your patience as I try to make this more worthy of your attention. **

**I have a ton of fav's... check them out if you want some good reads.**


	4. Chapter 4: Thunderstruck

Chapter Four: Thunderstruck

**A/N Special thanks to my beta HEAR and all the great people at PTB. And just like the rest of us in ficdom, I don't own Twilight.**

EPOV

I walked in the door and was stared down by the huge bouncer. It was an odd feeling having to look up at someone, since I was used to being one of the tallest in any given room. He did manage to try to sound polite as he asked, "How ya doin'?" as I passed him. As much as I wasn't ready to talk to people yet, ignoring him would have been rude, so I quietly said hi.

Midnight Sun was a typical bar with round tables scattered around the main part of the floor and booths against the walls. Most of the booths were full and there were people scattered at various tables. The bar itself was pretty standard with bar stools down the length of it and a mirrored back wall where the liquor was kept. _The good stuff, _I thought to myself. A cash register sat to one side and a small television was tucked into the corner. The bar also had draft taps and refrigeration units for the beer and wine coolers. A small stage was in the back of the room for live music. Tonight it was empty. Near the stage was a jukebox that was providing the entertainment for the evening and a small open area for dancing.

As I approached the bar, I was surprised to see there was no bartender around. No one was currently sitting at the bar either. Suddenly a petite, brown haired woman popped up from a cabinet under the bar with a case of beer clutched in her hands. She set the case on the workspace in front of her and grabbed two from the case. In the process of putting them in the cooler, she looked up to greet me.

She only got as far as "Hi there. Welcome to Mid-" before our eyes locked.

I was overcome by a pair of the deepest, molten brown eyes I had ever seen. It was like an electric shock to my soul. Around her pale, heart-shaped face hung glorious, shiny brown hair. Her small mouth froze in shock. I had to resist the urge to hop over the bar and kiss her right then and there_._

A millisecond later, the two bottles of beer that she had been holding shattered across the floor. She looked down at the mess, looked back up at me, and blushed. The woman began to carefully step around the mess so that she wouldn't slip in the newly spilled beer. The crowd in the bar berated her for the spill.

I felt like I should help her, since I startled her, causing her to drop the beer bottles. The dustpan and broom were at the end of the bar near my seat, so I walked over to grab them. Just as I did, her hand reached out for them. She was watching the floor so carefully that she had no idea I was already there. As her hand touched mine, a powerful shock ran through me. Her hand instinctively pulled back and her head turned to investigate the source of the shock.

Those molten brown eyes held me mesmerized again.

This had to be the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her hand looked delicate there, hanging between us, as did the rest of her body. She was petite, as I had first thought. Standing straight, she would only come to my shoulder. She was also slender but not athletic. Her skin was very fair, similar to mine, and flawless without any visible make-up. She had a natural beauty that was rare to find anywhere.

Her lower lip was fuller than her upper lip, but it looked perfect to me. That very imperfection was what made her unique. Her pale skin stood out even more against the dark t-shirt she wore with the name of the bar across the front. The bottom of her black pants and her shoes were both soaked from the beer. There was a serious, down to earth sense about her that drew me in. I suddenly felt very protective over her, this woman I had just barely met. I didn't even know her name! Somehow, something within her drew me in, more than just her hair or her eyes or her skin.

I noticed she was staring at me, as I was her. This was all going on in a matter of microseconds; and as she continued to stare at me, my stomach dropped to the floor.

_I hope she doesn't recognize me!_ That would end it. My chance at being normal, at least for a little while, would be shot. I was looking forward to having some interactions with people who just saw me as an average guy, not _the _Edward Cullen. To have a normal conversation with a woman, like this beautiful woman before me, to get to know her like an ordinary person could, would be incredible. But if she knew who I was, she wouldn't have a thing to do with me, some flighty, drunk musician.

She finally realized that she was staring at me. "Uh, hi," she blurted out and blushed again. I thought she was adorable, this fascinating, shy woman who blushed so easily. Realizing that I was holding the broom, she stammered out, "Um, I can take that. Thanks."

I loved the sound of her voice and she had only spoken barely a dozen words to me. She wasn't loud or boisterous. It seemed like she had a quiet strength about her, something I had rarely seen even before I moved to LA. She reached her hand out for the broom, and I smiled down at her.

"Let me help you. It will make up for me startling you like that." She looked at me, puzzled, but shrugged her shoulders, grabbed the dust pan and walked over to the mess on the floor.

As I swept the broken beer bottles into the dustpan that she was holding, I continued to stare at her. I was recording every line, every shape of her, to memory. The electric shock that ran through me when our hands touched continued to crackle whenever she got close to my body. I wanted to take her into my arms and never let go. The physical attraction I had towards this woman was incredible. I had never felt anything like it.

_What is going on in your mind, Edward? __You aren't thinking with the right head tonight._ I tried to clear my thoughts with a quick shake of my head. It didn't help. The fire still burned. This feeling I had seemed more than just a physical connection. When my eyes locked with hers, something within me shifted. I could not describe it nor did I have a name for what happened.

When the mess was cleaned up, I had no more excuses to be that close to her or to be behind the bar, so I returned to my stool. Feeling awkward but not knowing why, I stared at my hands and tried to figure out what to do next -- not just here, but next in general. _Do I even have another show to do at this point?_ _Maybe I'll go back to Forks. I haven't seen the folks in awhile. I have some time before I have to report to the set._

I was deep in thought about my future when she spoke to me again.

"Thank you for your help cleaning up the mess. I really appreciate it. As I was trying to say when you walked in, welcome to the Midnight Sun. What would you like to drink?"

Her voice mesmerized me. It took me a second to answer.

"You're welcome. It was the least I could do for startling you." Then I realized she asked me what I wanted to drink. After a quick check of the selection behind the bar, I continued, "I'll have a Corona with a lime, please." I couldn't help but smile at her.

I watched her smoothly grab the beer, open it, and grab the lime. _She's either graceful or she's done this a lot._

"Thank you. My name is…"

_Crap...I can't tell her my real name! I want her to like me for me! Wait. What?! I WANT her to like me? Why would her opinion of me matter when I'll never see her again?_

For some reason, that thought saddened me. "Anthony,"I murmured.

"I'm Bella." Her name was just as beautiful as she was. _Bella..._

I smiled at her, and she blushed again. _Absolutely adorable._

"Pleased to meet you, Bella."

"Likewise."

If it was possible, she blushed again. Embarrassed, she turned away from me. I could still see her face in the mirror's reflection. While she was occupied with something on the bar, I studied her again.

I couldn't figure out what power this creature had over me. With all the women I had met over the years in movies and on tours, not one of them ever had this kind of effect on me. I didn't date much; I was of the opinion that my work made just about any kind of romantic relationship impossible. I learned that the hard way because of _her_. None of the women that had crossed my path since then made me want to try to see if the previously impossible was possible.

_Rosalie would kill for her skin, _I thought. Rosalie was a classic beauty by most standards. Just about any hot-blooded man (and some women) would find Rosalie incredibly beautiful. She was, but her type of beauty just wasn't _it_ for me. She always had to be made up with her face and hair done. I don't think I had ever seen Rosalie without a face full of make-up on. Hollywood women weren't much better. Over the years in Hollywood, I had seen all kinds of beautiful women with their perfect bodies. But it was all fake. You would be hard pressed to find a natural woman in Hollywood. But Bella, Bella seemed genuine. I didn't know anything about this woman yet, but what I did see struck me as incredibly down to earth. She didn't need to put on a bunch of make-up or alter her body. Bella was comfortable in her own skin. She was a breath of fresh air.

I drank some of my beer and looked around the bar while not being obvious and not making eye contact with anyone. The fear I had over being recognized kept a cold clutch around my heart. I was taking another sip when I heard my name mentioned on the television and I almost choked. Bella looked at me out of the corner of her eye, puzzled at my reaction. With only limited success, I calmed myself and tried not to appear as freaked out as I did right at that moment. I listened with morbid curiosity to the news story about my disappearance from the Odeon.

With that puzzled look still plastered to her face, Bella looked over at me again.

_Please don't recognize me. Please don't recognize me. _I tried to mask the panicked look in my eyes. It was not easy to do.

She laughed and said "Man, Jess is going to be so pissed." That caught me off guard.

"Why?" I asked.

"She was there tonight. I gave her the day off so she could go."

A part of me instantly felt guilty, the part that still loved to sing and to perform. The other, darker part of me that led me to where I was tonight was happy that other people were inconvenienced from my sudden departure. It felt like I was getting even for all the pain and suffering I had gone through. Thankfully, for the moment, the better part of me won out. I was still glad I left the show when I did, but I still felt guilty for doing so. However, no amount of guilt would ever make me wish I had changed my mind and stayed at the Odeon. My departure was necessary for me and my sanity, no matter how many fans got upset.

"Oh, wow, that sucks. Wait, you gave her the day off? You own this place?" I wanted to get the conversation away from anything dealing with the real me. It was a pleasant surprise that this was her place.

"Yep. I bought it a few years ago after my mom passed away." The pride she held for her establishment was quite evident as she gazed about the room. Her eyes seemed somewhat watery despite the pride burning through them.

I admired her strength. I was lucky because my mother was still alive and well. Just thinking about her being gone was rather painful.

"This is a nice place. My sympathies about your mom." I genuinely felt bad for her. I couldn't imagine not having Esme around. She was the heart of my family.

"Thanks. It was awhile ago. I've dealt with it. I still miss her, always will, but what else can I do?" She looked uncomfortable and fidgeted nervously.

"Not much, that is for sure," I replied lamely. _What kind of stupid thing to say is that? _

She thankfully changed the subject. "So what brings you out this way?"

I thought about that for a moment. I had no idea where I was going until I got here. "I'm not sure, to be perfectly honest. I was driving along, not really paying attention to where I was going, and I ended up here."

She smiled at me warmly. "Well I'm glad you're here."

I don't know why, but that sent a thrill though my body. All of a sudden, I felt overwhelmingly shy. "Me too." I smiled up at her, causing her to blush again.

Bella excused herself to tend to the other tables. Some of the wait staff had gone home already. I couldn't help but watch her. Bella's slender body wove between the tables carefully. She wasn't graceful, but she managed not to trip over her feet. It seemed sheer determination and familiarity with the environment was what kept her upright.

I watched as she did her circuit about the room and stopped to talk to the huge bouncer. He glared at me as he spoke.

_Is this guy her boyfriend or something?_ She laughed as she walked back to the bar. It was a beautiful sound. I wanted to be able to make her laugh too. She walked behind me and spoke to someone.

"Another beer, Anthony?"

Bella continued to walk around behind the bar and looked at me expectantly.

"Anthony? Yoo hoo! Anthony!"

Then I realized why - she was speaking to me.

_Get a grip Edward. You DID tell her your name was Anthony._ I looked up at her apologetically.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were talking to me. Yes, I'll have another." She shook her head as she got another Corona from the cooler. I longed to know what she was thinking.

The music from the jukebox cut through a lull in the conversations in the bar. I suddenly had a great idea.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked her, smiling and hopeful.

Her eyes widened, like she wasn't used to being asked to dance.

"I'm not a very good dancer."

_Damn. _I looked down at my beer and tried not to show my disappointment. I heard her chuckle nervously.

"But, hey, practice makes perfect right?"

My face snapped up, ecstatic, smiling ear to ear.

"Yes, yes it does!"

As if on cue, another song started to play. One I was vaguely familiar with, but it didn't matter. It was a nice slow song. Perfect. I took her hand and guided her over to the small dance floor area by the jukebox. The moment our hands touched, the fire raged again. I looked at her, wondering if she felt it too. Her startled face answered for her, but she didn't let go.

When I stopped at the dance floor, it looked like she was going to fall. She caught herself before I could even reach out to help steady her. Bella's skin bloomed into a beautiful delicate blush and she kept her eyes downcast to the floor. I leaned down a little and asked if she was okay. I tried not to smile, so she wouldn't think I was laughing at her. It was bad enough that she felt embarrassed.

"Um… yeah. Just uncoordinated."

As I considering my next move, I looked at Bella. I wanted to hold Bella close as we danced but I didn't want to overstep my bounds. The urge to touch her was overwhelming, but I wanted to be respectful of her at the same time. Taking a deep breathe, I decided to take a chance. _Now or never._

I reached for her waist with my unoccupied hand and pulled her to me. Electricity crackled in between us as my hand rested on her waist. An unfamiliar heat from where we touched spread throughout my whole body. These sensations were not unpleasant by far, but were completely unexpected.

The first time we touched, it could have been chocked up to static electricity. Possibly even the second time when she took my hand as I led her to the dance floor. But now? This burning I felt was most definitely _not_ static electricity. Nothing in my experience could have prepared me for this. At our most passionate, I had only felt the slightest tingle from my previous girlfriend.

_I could get used to this._

She rested her other hand on my arm, amplifying the electrical charge I was feeling. At this point I felt like my body could power the whole town.

Taking into consideration her uncoordinated nature, I merely swayed to the music. This was absolute bliss. I had a goddess on my arm. Without realizing it, I started humming along to the music. As soon as she noticed, I stopped. She looked disappointed.

"No, don't stop," she said. "It sounded nice. It's cool that you like music."

I smiled at the irony of her comment.

_If only I could. I would sing for you anytime you asked me._

"Another time perhaps." This saddened me. I wanted to share this with her, but I couldn't.

We continued dancing, not talking, just enjoying each other's company. It was nice she wasn't one of those nervous types that had to fill the silence with inane chatter. The song ended but I didn't want to let go yet. The next song started to play. I recognized it instantly.

_Oh my God. Is this really happening?!_

The irony would be funny if I wasn't petrified she would now figure out who I was.

_Only when I'm trying to hide who I am would one of my songs play on a jukebox_. _What are the odds? _

I had stopped swaying when "Don't Think" started. Bella looked up at me, surprised.

_Please, for the love of God and all that is holy, PLEASE don't recognize me! _

Her eyes widened and my stomach dropped. My blood pressure, however, skyrocketed.

**A/N Will she? Won't she? Hope to have next update up soon... just has to go through the magic that is PTB! :) Please review and let me know what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5: Coffee and

**A/N Special thanks to the great people at PTB. And just like the rest of us in ficdom, I don't own Twilight. I just got my two permanent betas through PTB so hopefully my updates will be more frequent now! Yay!**

**Chapter Five: Coffee and....**

**BPOV**

I squeezed Anthony's -no, Edward's- hand encouragingly as he looked down at me with fear in his eyes. When I didn't call him out, he smiled making his eyes crinkle in the corners.

Edward clenched his hand around my waist and pulled me closer to him. That same shock that struck me when we first touched the broom handle at the same time was back and it spread from his hand all through my body.

It all made sense now. The feeling I had that he was trying to hide something; his reaction to the news and his song... and of course, his appearance. Now that I knew who he was, it was so easy to see.

_But why is he trying to hide?_ _What is he running from?_

As the song ended, we returned to the bar. My waist still throbbed pleasantly where he held me. I could feel his green eyes follow me as I worked. We didn't speak much for the next couple of hours as I made my rounds at the bar. Occasionally we would lock gazes and the fire would blaze anew. Both of us would smile, a little unsure, and look away. It seemed we were both content to bide our time to be able to talk more privately later.

Eventually I announced last call to the few stragglers left in the bar. Needing a break before I shut the bar down, I sat next to Edward. He smiled crookedly at me and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. I had to strongly resist the urge to bury my hands in his hair again.

"Hi."

"Hi." His voice, while soft, had a husky undertone.

"Come here often?" I laughed softly.

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah, I'm a regular here."

I laughed louder now, pleased that he was playing along with my joke.

He turned towards me, his expression serious, but curious.

"What made you want to buy this place?"

I wasn't used to someone taking such an interest in me. I blushed again.

"I've wanted my own bar since I was in high school. I had this vision of a cool, hip place with live music every night. Well, at least almost every night." I laughed as I looked up at the empty stage.

"When this place went up for sale, I jumped at the opportunity. I was scared out of my mind and a little overwhelmed, but I think I've been successful so far." It was difficult to hide the pride in my voice.

"I would say so, if the crowd you had here when I walked in was any indication."

"We have a lot of regulars. Small towns like this hardly ever have surprises."

Edward nodded. "This town reminds me of where I grew up... everybody knowing everyone else."

Now I was the curious one. Would he open up about his past, if not his present?

"Where did you grow up?"

"I was born in Chicago, but I grew up in Forks, Washington."

"Where is Forks?"

"It's near the Hoh National Forest in the Olympic Peninsula. It is breathtaking out there." There was wistfulness to his voice. It sounded like he missed being there.

"You haven't been there recently?" I asked matter-of-factly.

He sighed, the sadness coming through, confirming my thoughts.

"No, my work keeps me away a lot."

"What do you do?" The question was out of my mouth before I even realized it. His breath caught but he regained his composure quickly.

"I..." he hesitated, "I'm in between jobs right now. I do mostly contract work."

_Nice cover,_ I thought to myself. _And yet, it is still the truth. He is not lying to me... just being generic._

"Is the work steady?" I had a feeling I knew the answer to that question too, if the tabloid shows about him were any indication.

"Yeah. Sometimes there's a little too much, and I wonder if I can handle it all. It can be quite overwhelming." The lost, frustrated, and almost angry look crept into his eyes again.

Before I could ask him another question, he turned the tables around and asked about me.

"Have you always been from around here?"

Sensing that he was trying to get off the topic of himself, I decided to elaborate a bit instead of giving him the cliff notes version.

"I was born in Phoenix, but my parents got a divorce when I was very young. I stayed there with my mom until high school, when I decided I needed a change of scenery. My dad had come up here to Ohio when he was offered a job, so I thought I'd try it out. It was definitely a change; the first winter here was brutal. It was far from the Arizona desert heat I had been accustomed to."

I felt very comfortable talking to him; like I've known him for years instead of just hours. I was more at ease with him already than with most of the people I knew.

"After I graduated from college, I stayed up here with my dad for a while. When my mom died, her life insurance policy gave me enough to buy the bar and even my own place." He nodded for me to continue, and his eyes never left my face.

"My house isn't spectacular, but it's mine. I bought it out of foreclosure, and it needed a lot of work. It had been abandoned for a while, and slowly over the past two years I have been fixing it up. I spend a good portion of my time here, so the house is only about half finished. It's livable, just not finished. What I love the most is the view. It's right on the lakeshore. I can sit in my back yard and watch the storms roll in off the lake from Canada. There's even a small dock below the house on the bit of beach I have."

His eyes looked softly at me with a warm smile on his face, like he was picturing my house in his head.

"That sounds really nice," he said, finally.

"It is. I wouldn't trade my half-finished house for anything in the world." I desperately wanted to learn more about him. As much as he would tell me.

"How was it growing up in Forks?" I asked.

"It was quiet... and sheltered, but good. My parents made sure we never went without, but also made sure we didn't grow up spoiled. My father made us three kids do community service at his hospital every summer. He is a doctor at the hospital out there. My mother also had us help her with restoration projects, too. It was neat to see how she could restore a house that looked like it should just be bulldozed back into its glory."

"We?" I prompted. 'We' must mean he has siblings.

"Yeah, I'm the oldest of the three of us. I have a brother, Emmett, and a sister, Alice."

He was interrupted by Jacob, who walked over to remind me it was time to shut the bar down. Thankfully, everyone except Edward had left, so it was easy to shut everything down.

He insisted on helping us, and Jacob glared at him the entire time. I wanted to smack him and tell him to cut it out, but it was kind of funny at the same time. I've never seen him react this way to anyone before.

Edward and I walked out of the bar slowly. Neither one of us wanted the night to end. He turned to me first.

"Bella... is there some place around here we can get some coffee? That is, if you would like to get some."

A thrill shot through me. I don't think I could say no even if I had to get up first thing in the morning and perform brain surgery.

"Sure. There is a place down the street. Do you want to follow me?"

"That's fine, unless you want to ride together."

Another nervous thrill shot through me when I thought about being alone in the car with him. I wasn't afraid of him at all. It was the proximity to him... I felt a hum build through my body already just from the thought.

"Yours or mine?"

He stood by a Volvo that had to be his, as it was the only other car in the lot besides mine. Jacob had left right before we did.

"How about mine? I promise I won't kidnap you," he joked.

I laughed, and got bold in my nervousness.

"What if I want to be kidnapped?" I blushed instantly. I was shocked at myself. Shy Bella did not normally say those kinds of things.

His eyebrows shot up and his face split into that crooked smile that dazzled me so easily.

"Well... um... wow. Maybe arrangements could be made." He unlocked the passenger side of the door for me and closed the door after I was in. He piled his long, lean frame into the driver's seat and pulled smoothly out of the parking lot.

The entire way to the coffee shop, I was acutely aware of how close our bodies were to each other. The only words spoken were my directions to the coffee shop. It was as if an electrical charge was building right there, like a thunderstorm rolling in off the lake, just between us. It was exciting, but scary at the same time. I couldn't hope for anything to happen out of this, whatever this was. I wasn't a part of his world and he wasn't a part of mine.

This train of thought was bringing my mood down. I tried to banish those thoughts so I could enjoy myself with this man I felt so strangely drawn to. It had nothing to do with what he was, a celebrity, an actor, or a musician. It had everything to do with WHO he was. There was a part of him, deep down, buried under all the craziness of his life right now, that drew me to him. It came out in bits and pieces when he spoke about his home and family. He didn't look so lost then. Back when he was at home, he knew who he was. Now, it looked like he was losing himself to the Hollywood machine. I wanted to tell him that I knew who he was so badly so that he didn't have to pretend anymore. I didn't care what he was, but he seemed so afraid that I would figure out his secret. I decided to hold my tongue. After all, he probably wasn't going to be here long so what did it matter? I'm sure he had another show to do some where else and his time here will fade to just a pleasant memory for him.

We reached the coffee shop in just a few short minutes. It didn't take long to get anywhere in town. After we got out of the car, he held the door to the shop open for me. As I walked by, my arm grazed his stomach. The thunderstorm that brewed during the car ride erupted. We both gasped and looked at each other in shock. I wasn't the only one who blushed this time.

I nervously apologized for bumping into him.

"No, it's okay. Really." His voice was light but strained, and his face was confused. He looked about as confused as I felt at that moment.

We sat down in a little corner booth in the back of the cafe. It seemed much more intimate then it looked like when we first walked in. Edward sat next to me, only inches from my body. My fingers twitched, wanting to twine themselves with his hand. We looked at each other with questions in our eyes, both completely unprepared for what was happening between us.

He spoke first, his voice truly husky for the first time. "How do you have this effect on me?"

It felt like my heart had stopped. When it restarted it was going a mile a minute.

"I would ask you the same thing," I whispered.

My eyes held his in wonder. Those green eyes of his were like magnets, piercing into my soul. I felt completely naked and exposed in front of him, like he could see all of who I was completely.

He took a shuddering breath trying to collect himself. At that moment, the waitress came and poured our coffee, effectively dispelling the mood. It was a welcome relief from the intensity of the emotions. I gladly sipped my coffee and was rewarded by scalding my mouth. I winced in pain and put the coffee back down.

"Imagine that, hot coffee," I said disparagingly.

He smiled at me again, his brilliant green eyes softening. He reached his hand towards me and touched the side of my face with his fingertips. I closed my eyes in spite of myself and sighed. The fire was different this time, sweeter and not as urgent. When I opened my eyes, all I saw were his green eyes as they enveloped me. I couldn't even tell you when his hand moved from my face to my hand. I was completely entranced.

We stayed there for a few hours, talking and sitting together, enjoying each other's company. We talked about our lives, even exchanging embarrassing childhood stories that had us both laughing. We talked about authors and books we both liked, favorite foods and places. We both avoided asking about music or movies.

Our waitress refilled our coffee a few times before I finally had enough. If I drank anymore coffee I wouldn't sleep for a week. Despite the jolt of caffeine, my body betrayed the lateness of the evening -- or based on the light in the sky outside the café window, the earliness of the morning -- with a yawn. I tried to cover it the best I could but it had been a long day.

"I should get you home. I didn't realize how late it was." His eyes still held mine, his thumb lightly stroking my hand.

"Me either." I didn't want to leave. But sleep would come whether I liked it or not. And it would be too embarrassing to fall asleep in the booth. "Where are you staying?"

He cocked his head to the side, thinking for a moment before he spoke. "I don't know actually. I hadn't thought that far ahead before I pulled into the bar."

My brain whirled as I came up with an idea. It was crazy. It was risky. And I would probably end up regretting it in the end. But that desire to help him was stronger than ever. _What am I doing?_ _This is not going to end well. You are going to get your hopes up and be hurt in the end. Don't do it! _I didn't listen to myself. I jumped in with both feet and my eyes closed.

"Um... I have an extra room at my house. I know it sounds crazy but you are welcome to stay there if you like. It's on the other end of the house from my room so you'll have all the privacy you want. If you want to, anyway... kinda weird I know..." I trailed off, suddenly feeling very foolish. I was blushing from the crown of my head to the bottoms of my feet. I must've looked like a freshly boiled lobster. I stared at my hand and slowly started to pull my other hand from his.

He held on to my hand as he looked down at me with grave eyes. "Are you sure? I can easily find a place around here."

I laughed. "You don't know your way around here. And there aren't any hotels in Vermilion anyway."

"I see. If that's the case, I don't want you to feel obligated."

My head shot up. "Obligated? No! Not in the least. I just thought..." I couldn't finish the sentence. _I just thought maybe you'd like to stay… with me. _I sighed._ I am in so much trouble._

He squeezed my hand reassuringly. "It's okay, just as long as you are sure. Whatever you want in compensation just let me know."

"No, I don't want your money. It's okay. It's only one night after all, right?"

His eyes clouded over again, that look that he had when he first walked in to Midnight Sun. "Yeah...I suppose so. But giving you something would only be fair for you opening your home to me."

I didn't respond as we got up and he paid the bill. We both were silent as we walked out and climbed into his car. He took me back to the bar so I could get my truck. My mind was spinning with what I had just done. _What are you doing, Bella? Asking some guy you barely know to stay at your house?_

Back in the parking lot of Midnight Sun, he walked me over to my derelict truck. It was a piece of crap but I loved it and it ran better then it looked. He suddenly looked like the shy one.

"You sure about this Bella? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." He looked apprehensive.

"It's fine E-Anthony" _Jeez.... watch what you are doing Bella! _"Just follow me. My house is only a few miles down the road." I tried not to look at him as I climbed into my truck. I still couldn't believe what I was doing.

"It's only for one night," I said to myself as I drove down the road. "Then he'll go back to his real life." I shook my head. _I can't believe I'm talking to myself._ _I can't believe I invited him to stay. _

Despite my fear, and it wasn't fear of him necessarily but a different kind of fear, one I wasn't familiar with, I still wanted him there. I wanted to get to know him better. I wanted him to feel safe enough around me to tell me who he really was. I wanted to see more of the man Edward Cullen really was, under all the craziness of the singer and actor. Yes, he was drop dead gorgeous, but there was so much more to him than that.

**A/N Thank you for reading! Please review! :)**


	6. Chapter 6: What Am I Doing?

**A/N Special thanks to my betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Six: What Am I Doing?**

**EPOV**

As we pulled into the coffee shop, I couldn't tell you how we got there. My brain was set ablaze with the intensity of the emotions that were coursing through me. _What am I doing?_ _This isn't a life I can have. I have to return to Los Angeles eventually. Marcus is going to find me and drag me kicking and screaming back to the world that is just dying to spit me out broken._

My body ached from the power that convulsed through the car. It was actually a relief to get out into the fresh air. I held the door to the café for Bella, enjoying the smell of her hair as she walked by me. Suddenly, I felt an electric shock as Bella's elbow just barely grazed my abdomen. It was the same shock I felt when our hands first touched earlier that night at the bar. We gasped simultaneously. _She felt it too. Again. _

I blushed. I never blush. All the same, I still blushed.

She mumbled an apology for running into me.

"No, it's okay. Really." I tried to keep my voice light but even I could hear the strain behind it. I was incredibly confused, fascinated, anxious, and euphoric all the same time.

Without even thinking about it, like it was a natural thing to do, I rested my hand on the small of her back as we walked to our table. Instead of receiving a shock from the contact, my touch created a soft buzz that warmed my body. When we took our seats, I sat very close to her. Despite her proximity, I wanted to be even closer. I gazed down at her, deeply into her soft, brown eyes and fought the urge to bury my hands in her long, silky hair. She looked back at me, as unsure about what was going on as I was.

When I finally spoke, I was surprised how rough my voice was. I did not sound like myself. "How do you have this effect on me?"

She blushed again, and lowered her eyes. "I would ask you the same thing," she admitted softly.

Bella looked up at me and I got lost in her eyes. I startled myself when I realized I didn't want to find my way out. I shuddered, breaking the effect while I tried to collect myself. The depth of the emotions I was feeling so quickly was scaring me. I needed to get my head out of the clouds and face reality. Our waitress came by at that time and gave me a blissful moment to collect my scattered wits. My coffee steamed in its cup. I saw Bella take a sip and wince.

"Imagine that, hot coffee," she said, half to herself, her lips twisting into a smirk.

I smiled. She was as nervous as I was. I carefully touched her face with my fingertips. Her skin was incredibly soft and warm. The burning I felt anytime we touched sizzled gently as I touched her. Mesmerized, I watched as she closed her eyes and sighed. This woman was amazing. I couldn't help myself and took her hand gently in mine and felt the warmth overcome me completely.

The time passed easily with Bella. I held her hand as we sipped our coffees and opened up to one another exchanging funny stories about our lives. There was one particularly embarrassing story of my childhood that had her snorting with laughter. Emmett and I had made a bet on who could win at wrestling. The loser had to wear one of Alice's dresses to school the next day. I thought me being older meant I would win. But despite Emmett being younger than I was, he was stronger. He was a natural athlete and I was not. Emmett had me pinned in no time with my hand slapping the floor in defeat. The next day at school was not a fun day for me. Bella's eyes twinkled as she laughed, picturing the image of a childhood version of me in a dress. I had to admit, I thought it was pretty funny too, although as a child I did not.

Most of Bella's stories dealt with her clumsiness. It seemed she couldn't go very far as a child without tripping on thin air. While it embarrassed her at the time, she was able to find the humor in it now. She had made many friends with the hospital staff during her many trips there over the years. When she moved up to Ohio and had her medical records transferred, it took several weeks to get everything mailed. She joked that the medical records office dedicated one person for a whole week just to get all her records together.

We talked well through out the night, sharing our favorite things with each other. Thankfully neither one of us discussed our favorite movies or music. It would have been too difficult to discuss without me possibly giving myself away. It seemed we both shared a love of literature and had some similar tastes in authors. Eventually, Bella stretched and tried to hide a yawn. The blush in the sky outside declared how long we had talked. I didn't want the night to end but I didn't know how to prolong it and I wasn't even sure if I should try.

"I should get you home. I didn't realize how late it was," I said softly as I stoked her hand in mine with my thumb. _If only I could keep you here._

The approaching sunrise surprised her as she looked out the window of the coffee shop.

"Me either." She looked at me for a moment, puzzled. "Where are you staying?"

I had to think about that for a moment. I had no idea where I was going to sleep. I hadn't thought that far when I left the Odeon. I had the room at the Renaissance last night but Marcus would've checked me out after we left the hotel for the venue. And I wasn't about to go crawling back there tonight to see if Marcus was still around. _The Volvo is pretty comfortable,_ I thought to myself. _Wouldn't be the first time I had slept in my car overnight._

"I don't know actually. I hadn't thought that far ahead before I pulled into the bar." _Alice would skin me alive if she knew I slept in my car again. _I resigned myself to a nap in the car. I had done it before and I could do it again. Alice would get over it.

She looked up at me tentatively, suddenly unsure and quite nervous. "Um... I have an extra room at my house. I know it sounds crazy but you are welcome to stay there if you like. It's on the other end of the house from my room so you'll have all the privacy you want. If you want to, anyway... kinda weird I know..."

_Wow. _It was unexpected but not necessarily unwanted. I would be able to be around her that much longer. But it was a friendly gesture, nothing else. She wasn't asking me to come home with her to her bed. Bella didn't seem the type that would invite strange men into her bed anyway. Although she also didn't seem like the type to invite strangers to her home either.

She started to pull her hand from mine, her cheeks flaming.

I held onto her hand and looked at her gently. "Are you sure? I can easily find a place around here." _I doubted that I could but I didn't want her to feel bad about me sleeping in my car. _

She actually laughed at me. You don't know your way around here. And there aren't any hotels in Vermilion anyway."

"I see. If that's the case, I don't want you to feel obligated." I was serious now. I did not want her feeling like she had to put me up because there wasn't anything around here. _I wanted her to actually want me there._

Bella's face snapped up surprised. "Obligated? No, not in the least! I just thought..." She didn't finish her sentence. I wished I could read her mind and see what she didn't want to say.

I squeezed her tiny hand in mine. It felt good there like that was where it was supposed to be. _Good Lord, what am I doing?_ "It's okay, just as long as you are sure. Whatever you want in compensation just let me know."

She shook her head, her hair shining in the light. "No, I don't want your money. It's okay. It's only one night after all, right?"

That question knocked the wind out of my sails. I needed to stop dreaming and wake up in the real world. The real world that declared that I did not belong here and never would. I was setting us both up to be hurt if I tried to pursue anything. I would eventually have to return to the hell known as LA, to my lonely apartment filled with reminders of a life that was slowly squeezing me to death. I tried to fight the new feelings that were swirling inside of me, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

"Yeah...I suppose so. But giving you something would only be fair for you opening your home to me."

Bella didn't respond.

I paid the bill as she looked on, deep in thought. We walked quietly back to my rented Volvo. The silence continued back to the Midnight Sun. As I pulled up next to her old truck, I was overcome with shyness. I felt like the nerdy kid asking his first big crush to the dance except I had a sinking feeling this was no mere crush for me. _Edward...what are you doing?_

"You sure about this Bella? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"Its fine, E-Anthony." She corrected herself mid-sentence.

_Was she just going to call me Edward?!_ _Crap! _

"Just follow me. My house is only a few miles down the road." She didn't look at me as she climbed into her old truck.

I breathed again, trying to calm myself as I got into my car. Being behind the wheel of the car gave me a chance to think clearly. I did my best thinking behind the wheel. I would drive for hours back home when I was a teenager. I had a Volvo just like this back in LA. I missed it. It was a great car. My car was my only escape in LA. That car handled better than this rental did. The rental company didn't take care of their vehicles as well as I did mine. But it still did the job well enough.

I was so lost in thought that I almost missed the turnoff that Bella took to my right. I followed her and pulled into a wide gravel driveway.

I met Bella at the front step of her house. In the early morning light, I saw a large ranch with tarps draped across the roof over the sections of the house she was still working on. The part of the house that was not covered up was white with black shingles and black shutters. The front yard was well maintained but not over landscaped. There were flowers and some bushes along the front sides of the house. I could hear the waves lap the beach from the lake below us. She opened the door and walked in, not looking behind her as I followed. She stopped in the living room, a small, shy smile on her face.

"This is my home," she said simply.

"I like it."

I genuinely did. Even unfinished, it had warmth. You could tell she was putting herself into this house. It wasn't overly feminine like some houses were. There were delicate touches here and there but her strength shined through it all. She showed me the entire house, where I'd be sleeping, and her plans for the unfinished parts. She explained her plans in such detail that they were easy to picture. Bella's love for her home was clearly evident in how she spoke. She continued the tour to the other side of the house.

"This side of the house is where the master suite is located." She blushed but continued anyway. The hallway was shorter here, and only had two doors. "This is my room and the master bath." She didn't open either door and I didn't try to enter uninvited.

We walked back to the main part of the house. The focus of Bella's home was the living room and kitchen. The kitchen was bright and open. It faced the north side of the property, like the room I would be staying in did, so there was a great view of the lake. The living room faced the south, towards the road and had a large picture window that let lots of sunlight in. There was only a partial wall that separated the kitchen from the living room. It allowed some separation between the rooms without disturbing the mood. The beach below was not visible from the kitchen window. The house was up on a small embankment that gave the house some privacy from the shore. Bella pointed to the stairs off to the left side of the back yard that led down to the beach as she told me more about the house.

To others, this may have been boring but I was enthralled. I was enthralled with this house and enthralled with all that was Bella. Her voice was soft and gentle as she spoke and her hair glistened in the morning sun. The skin of her face shone with excitement as she pointed out things she wanted to do next year to the backyard. I wanted to bury my face in her hair, touch her soft skin, and hold her close.

Bella turned and looked up at me as she finished her explanations. A delicate, beautiful blush rose up her cheeks as she saw the expression on my face. I touched her face again with my fingers, relishing in the softness of her skin. She turned her face into my hand until I was cupping her cheek. We stood there staring into each others eyes, lost in the fire that burned us both. Before my mind could tell me to stop, I leaned down to kiss her. As my lips inched closer to hers, she turned her face out of my hand and looked away. Conflict was written all across her face.

"I'm sorry," I murmured. I really was. I wasn't trying to seduce her. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. I was just so drawn to her and it was hard not to touch her. She offered a place to sleep for the night and that was it. Not this. Not some strange guy pawing all over her.

She turned her face toward me again but she would not look me in the eye. "It's okay. I... I … I need to go to bed now. There are clean towels and soap in the bathroom if you want to get cleaned up. I'll be up around noon. Goodnight Anthony."

She turned and walked away quietly without saying another word. I heard her bedroom door open and close.

I sighed and walked back to my room. I doubted I would get any sleep.

----

I woke up about eleven later that morning. I had actually managed to fall asleep. Thankfully, I didn't dream. Or if I did, I didn't remember any of them. The last thing I needed right then were dreams of Bella, beautiful, smart, sexy Bella. I walked out of my room and around the house making as little noise as possible. Her bedroom door was still shut so she must've still been asleep. I could hear the crashing waves on the beach again so I walked out to the backyard. The view was spectacular. I could see for miles. The beach was about thirty feet below the house. It was small, about fifty feet long, but it was still a beach. The dock was only big enough for a dingy or a small fishing boat. I walked back in the house and my stomach growled loudly.

I headed into the kitchen and decided to make up for my actions from the night before. I rummaged through her refrigerator and cabinets until I found everything I needed. About ten minutes later, the kitchen was filled with smells of bacon crisping and eggs frying. I smiled to myself, excited about surprising Bella with breakfast. I popped some bread in the toaster when I heard her bedroom door open.

Bella's bare feet hardly made a sound on the wooden floor as she walked into the kitchen. She was wearing blue boxers and an old band t-shirt. Her face still looked half-asleep but she had managed to pull her long hair into a ponytail. She looked beautiful. Bella blinked her eyes a few times as she peered at me, her brain finally registering my presence standing there in her kitchen making breakfast.

"What are you doing?" Bella mumbled. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands.

"Making you breakfast, silly. Since you won't take my money for letting me stay here last night, the least I can do is make you breakfast."

"Oh. Um, alright. Thanks?" She padded over to the table and sat down with an ungraceful plop.

_Apparently she is not a morning person_, I thought to myself.

I grabbed two plates and piled them full of eggs and bacon. The toast popped just in time and I added them to the plates before putting them on the table.

"Voila! Breakfast is served, madam."

She still seemed stunned but she started to eat her breakfast. As I ate, I watched her out of the corner of my eye. Slowly her face brightened as she woke up completely. Bella blinked a few times and stared at her half empty plate. Then her gaze traveled up to me.

"Mornin', sunshine," I murmured with a smile on my face.

She blushed. "Hi. Thank you. This is delicious."

"You're welcome."

We finished our breakfast in a comfortable silence. When she was finished, I put the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen. Esme had beaten it into me as a small child not to leave a mess in the kitchen. After I was done, I turned and saw her watching me with an indescribable look on her face.

"What time were you planning on leaving today?" She asked me suddenly.

I had the impression that wasn't what she was originally going to ask me.

"Um, I'm not sure. I hadn't really thought about an exact time. Is there a particular time you would like me out of your hair by?" I tried to interject some humor into my question but she didn't seem to pick up on it.

Bella's eyes darted to the floor before she answered. "No, you are welcome to stay as long as you need to today. I have to leave soon to open the bar so if you aren't ready to go yet, just lock up when you leave and I'll leave you directions on how to get back to the highway."

The finality of what she said hit me. I didn't want this to be the end. I was also a little surprised at how trusting she was of a stranger. Her trust and generosity was not something that was normally found amongst the sane in LA.

"Bella, I…" I wanted to tell her how I felt, who I really was and that I wanted to stay with her, as long as she wanted me. My mind shrieked warnings at how deep my feelings had developed for her so quickly but my heart wasn't listening.

She shook her head, misinterpreting my hesitation. "It's alright, Anthony. I trust you for some crazy reason; otherwise I would've allowed you to stay here." Bella walked back to her bedroom and closed the door. I heard another door open and close, probably to her bathroom.

Defeated, I walked back to my room. There had to be way to make this work, for her to know that I cared for her. I had to show her I was going to stick around and I wasn't after some casual fling. A plan began to brew in my head. I got more excited as it took shape.

Satisfied that it would work, I dug my cell phone out of my pocket and turned it on. My voicemail lit up again. There were five messages from Marcus, two from Alice, one from Emmett, and one from my mother; all stating about the same thing: 'Where are you?' 'Are you okay?' 'When are you coming home?'

_Well, aren't I the popular one today? _

I called my mother first to let her know I was still alive, but was sorting some things out. She sounded relieved but didn't pry. Esme knew me well enough by now to give me the space I needed. Alice took a bit more convincing. She knew something was up and was determined to find out. I eventually had to be shorter with her than I wanted to be just to keep her from continuing to try to dig information out of me. Emmett was the easiest. All I had to do was call him and he knew I was okay. I think that conversation lasted all of thirty seconds. The last phone call would be the least enjoyable. I walked outside to the backyard to get some fresh air while I dialed Marcus' number. He answered on the first ring.

"So you DO live!" was the sarcastic greeting I received.

"Hi Marcus," I replied as I rolled my eyes.

"Are you planning on telling me what is going on?"

"I am taking some time off."

"Edward, we discussed this. The label-"

"Marcus, I don't give a flying fuck what the label thinks right now." I was getting angry. I was tired of getting pushed around. "I've been working like crazy for the past three years. I need a break. I am not asking you. I am telling you. I am taking some time off!"

"What about the movie? You have to report to the set in a month."

"I know."

"Well?"

"Well what?" I demanded.

"Are you going to show up?"

I sighed, resigned. "As of right now, yes. That may change." Let Marcus chew on that for a bit.

"What-" Marcus' shocked response was cut off as I hung up on him and dialed the car rental place. I extended my rental indefinitely. Normally this wasn't allowed, but when you're a celebrity and have money to throw around as needed, you can make things like that happen.

When I returned to the house, Bella had already left. She left the directions to the highway on the kitchen table. Holding the paper down was a Corona bottle cap. I slipped the cap in my jeans pocket and scanned the directions. Not satisfied with where the directions were telling me to go, I sat down at the computer she had in the living room. I hoped she wouldn't be mad I used it. I wasn't going to pry into anything that she had on there; I just needed Internet access. I googled the directions I needed and wrote them down on the back of the directions Bella left me. Full of excitement, I practically ran out the house and hopped in my car, directions tightly in hand.

I drove for about a half hour to the nearest mall based on the directions I got from Google Maps. I didn't have any of my clothes from my hotel room so I needed some fresh ones. Thankfully, I had enough cash on me. Using my credit card would just be flashing my name across the city. As soon as I walked in, I found a baseball hat store. I quickly picked out a Seattle Mariners hat. As soon as it was paid for it, I put it on. A hat was an easy disguise and I missed the Mariners hat I had at home.

I spent a couple of hours at the mall getting the things I needed. _Nothing like stimulating the local economy_, I thought to myself. By the time I was done, the back seat of the Volvo was full. If things went well, I'd be in Ohio a little longer than I originally anticipated when I first arrived.

I made one other stop before heading back to Bella's house. I took only some of the stuff inside and one of my new outfits. I eagerly took a shower, finally able to get the previous day's worth of dirt and grime washed off me. It was rather cathartic, like washing the sins of the past away. I got out, refreshed mentally and physically and even more hopeful for tonight. I dressed with care and took extra time with my hair to try to tame it, even though that was usually a lost cause. I kept the Mariners hat with me in case I needed to make a fast escape.

It was about five o'clock when I pulled into the Midnight Sun. Happy hour was in full swing and the bar was packed with people unwinding from a long day of work. I was nervous again, so nervous. _What's the worst that could happen? She could say no, and that would be that._ I hoped she wouldn't say no.

I walked in the bar quickly, before I lost my nerve. Jacob the bouncer was by the door again. Instead of the glare I received yesterday, he looked surprised as I walked in. I ignored him and strode purposefully to the bar where Bella was too occupied to notice my entrance. I sat down at one of the few empty bar stools and bided my time.

When she finally noticed me, the fire exploded within my chest as our eyes met.

She flushed all the way to the top of her forehead as she shook her head furiously and stalked over to me. "What are you doing here?" she whispered angrily.

That was not the reaction I had expected. But then again, I wasn't sure what to expect. "I wanted to talk to you," I whispered earnestly. "I was hoping you could get out of work early tonight."

That surprised her. She blinked a few times before she responded. "I thought you had to go back to wherever you came from."

"Eventually, but not today. I decided that I am going to take some time off. I haven't had a break or a vacation in some time. Can someone cover for you tonight?" I asked again.

She was thoroughly puzzled now, but she nodded. "Yes. What time?"

"Meet me at your house at 8pm." I said happily, smiling crookedly at her.

She blushed, looking a bit flustered before she glanced down at her hands. "Alright. Are you sticking around the bar this afternoon?"

I shook my head. I really wanted to but I had a lot of things to get ready before she got home. "No. I have some things to take care of this afternoon. I'll see you at eight!" I smiled hugely at her and turned back to the parking lot. As I was leaving, I saw a waitress go running over to Bella with her eyes bugging out of her head. I had a feeling that the waitress recognized me. I laughed to myself all the way back to Bella's house, surprisingly unconcerned.

I worked for hours making everything perfect at Bella's house. I was going to tell her tonight. I was going to tell her everything and hoped that she wouldn't kick me out. _Edward, you are insane,_ I thought to myself_. You just met her yesterday and now she has turned your whole life upside down._ But after feeling what I had felt for the first time in my life in the past twenty-four hours, I wouldn't want it any other way.

As I waited for Bella to come home, I got my guitar out and began to play. I sat on the back deck and listened to the gulls as I strummed away. A new melody began to form and I concentrated on it to commit it to memory. I ran through it a few times, trying out different chord progressions and a counter melody. Satisfied, I ran through the new song again in its entirety. The sun began to dip towards the watery horizon. Before I lost all track of time, I went back inside and put my guitar away. I quietly hummed the new song as I continued my preparations for Bella.

When I heard her truck tires crunch up the gravel driveway, my stomach tied up in knots. I quickly lit the candles on the table and leaned against the sink as I waited for her to walk in. I heard the front door open and close, then her soft steps through the living room hallway. She stopped in the doorway to the kitchen. Her large brown eyes look down at the table and up at me. Her lower lip trembled as her gaze became watery.

Before me, I had transformed her kitchen table into a romantic diner. The flames from the short, fat candles twinkled in the breeze from the open kitchen windows. A bottle of wine sat on the table ready to be uncorked. The linguini I made was resting on the stove, and her stereo was playing _Claire de Lune_. It was one of my favorite pieces of music.

My hands started to shake as my anxiety over her reaction got the best of me. I walked over to her quickly before I lost all my nerve. "Bella...Bella I have something to tell you."

I took her hands and looked deeply into her eyes, searching for any sign of encouragement. She only nodded, her eyes wide with confusion and uncertainty. I guided her over to the couch in the living room and sat down next to her, taking her hands in mine.

"Bella, these past twenty-four hours have been some of the best in my life. You have turned my world upside down and I don't even know how. I felt drawn to the Midnight Sun and it seems you were the reason. I feel drawn to you in ways I've never felt towards anyone before, ever. I want to get to know you better, to be with you. I know there are some logistical issues but I want to make this work. I want to try. For the first time, I've found something worth making the impossible possible."

She looked away from me, lower lip trembling again. She bit it to stop. I had a moment of doubt, that maybe I misread her signals, that maybe she didn't feel the same pull to me that I felt for her. Nevertheless, I already let the cat out of the bag so I might as well let the litter out too.

"I haven't been completely up front with you about who I am. I was afraid of what you would think of me."

Her eyes darted up to mine, surprised. "You were afraid?" she asked in a whisper.

"Yes, I was afraid of how you would react when I came clean with you. I didn't want to mislead you, but I wanted you to like me for me, not for what I am." I took a deep breath before I continued. "My first name technically isn't Anthony. It's my middle name. My full name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."

There was a long pause. I started to panic when she didn't respond. She continued to stare at our hands, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

Finally she looked up at me with tears evident in her eyes. "I thought correctly then."

Now I was the one shocked into silence.

"I figured it out last night when you froze while we were dancing, when your song started to play." She continued when I still didn't speak. "I figured you had a reason for hiding who you were. So I didn't call you out."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I just felt that if you wanted to be known, that you would've said who you were when you introduced yourself. You were so lost and confused when you walked into the bar last night. I didn't know what to do." She stared down at her hands again, still clasped in mine. "And if you wanted me to know who you were, I figured you would tell me when you were ready." A tear rolled down her cheek and splashed on my hand.

"Bella, why are you crying?" I let go of her hands and held her face between mine, wiping her tears away with my thumbs.

"Because no matter what you say about how you feel, you eventually have to leave. This isn't Hollywood and I don't belong in your world. Whatever feelings you have for me don't matter. Whatever feelings I have towards you don't matter." She tried to look away but couldn't. Her eyes blazed into mine.

My heart stopped."Wait, you care about me too?" I had hoped, I dared to hope, but I couldn't be sure until I heard the words that came from her mouth.

She glared at me. "You feel it, just like I do."

"It does matter," I argued, my voice rough with emotion. My vision blurred as I gazed at her. The fire that I had held at bay all this time ignited like a supernova. I let out a low moan deep in my throat before I pulled her face to mine and thoroughly and absolutely kissed her.

**A/N Please read and review! :) **


	7. Chapter 7: Meeting the Chief

**A/N As I'm sure you noticed, I told my reviewers that this chapter was going to be up last weekend. Then ****I was waiting to release this until this chapter was validated on Twilighted but I couldn't wait any longer. :) **

**Special thanks to my betas HEAR and Sirenastarot through PTB. And as always, I don't own Twilight. **

**Chapter Seven: Meeting the Chief**

**BPOV**

I stared at Edward in wonder after he released me. His sparkling emerald eyes bored deeply into mine with what I could interpret as full of emotion, desire, and relief that I had not turned him away. My eyes cloud over as reality set foot in my mind. Regardless of how he felt or how I felt, he still did not belong in my world and I didn't belong in his. Confusion appeared on his face.

"Bella..."

I cut him off. "Edward... I cannot deny how I feel about you. But can you stop time? You have to go back eventually. Then what? We exchange texts and call each other for a few weeks before the novelty wears off? Before this," I gestured between him and I, "just fades to a pleasant memory for you? As you laugh it off with whichever woman strikes your fancy next?" I questioned bitterly. How this relationship would turn out seemed so very clear to me at that moment.

Edward looked shocked and hurt. "Bella, it won't be like that." He squeezed my hands tightly in his desperation to make me understand.

"So you aren't going to leave?" I demanded, already knowing the answer.

Edward winced before slowly responding. "I do have to go back," he admitted. "I have to start shooting my next movie at the end of September, but that doesn't mean this has to end." He cupped my face with his hands again. The heat from his palms seared into my skin as his eyes pleaded with mine to believe him. "I have _never_ felt like this with anyone before. Just because I have to go back to LA doesn't mean I'm not going to come back to you, that I don't want to be with you. Nothing could change how I feel about you."

I closed my eyes. I had to break the spell of his mesmerizing gaze so I could think clearly. I wanted to believe him so badly.

"Bella, please!" He was practically begging now. He cupped my face as he spoke. "Let me show you how serious I am about this, how much I care about you. Two nights isn't enough, but I don't have to go back to LA until the movie starts filming. Let's see what happens while I'm here. I can't think of a place I'd rather be more than right here with you."

I finally opened my eyes and all I saw was Edward. I couldn't fight my heart any longer. My mind shouted for me to take a step back before I got hurt, that no matter if he was telling the truth and he really did come back, eventually our worlds would violently collide and I would not survive it. But my heart was louder than anything my mind could say. It screamed that I could survive anything as long as he was with me.

I tentatively reached my hand out and caressed his cheek, feeling the chiseled planes of his face, the two days worth of stubble that tickled the pads of my fingers. He sighed and closed his eyes as I continued to explore his face. My hand drifted to his beautiful bronze hair that I'd been itching to touch from the first time we met. His hair was as soft and full as I had imagined it to be. I continued my exploration from his temple to the nape of his neck. His eyes opened again and their green depths burned into mine. My hand balled up at his neck, tangling into his hair. He moaned deep in his throat and crushed his lips against mine.

While our first kiss just a moment before had not been delicate, this kiss made it seem so in comparison. His hands slipped from the sides of my face to my neck, across my shoulders and down my back. The trail his hands left burned deep inside me. My other arm locked around his neck and pulled him closer. His breath caught as he wrapped his arms around my waist to bring me even tighter against him. Our lips stayed connected the entire time, pressing against each other, forming and reforming, our tongues tasting and sensing, never stopping. A low moan escaped my lips before I realized it. He finally pulled away from me just long enough to be able to breathe again. He buried his face in my hair and I could feel his ragged breathing begin to slow. I sagged against his lean torso, breathless.

"Wow," I whispered. He only nodded. I didn't know if my heart would ever stop its rapid thudding in my chest.

My body betrayed me in that moment when my stomach growled. The spell was broken. Edward looked down at me with that endearing, heart-stopping, crooked grin on his face. "Hungry?"

I couldn't resist what I said in reply, "In more ways than one." My eyes danced as I rose from the couch and saw a goofy grin spread across his face before I turned and headed into the kitchen.

He pulled out a chair for me at the table where the candles still burned. After I was settled, he went back to the stove and portioned out our dinners. He was obviously comfortable in a kitchen, even an unfamiliar one such as mine. _A man of many talents_, I observed silently_. _He gently laid my plate in front of me on the table and poured the wine into our glasses.

Music from the stereo wove its way into the kitchen, wrapping us up in its magic. The food was delicious. I idly made a mental note to ask Edward for the recipe later. We hardly talked during our meal. Words were not necessary at the moment. Occasionally, we would look into each other's eyes in wonder. It was all so new, so raw, and so different from anything we had felt before in our lives. Sure I loved Jacob when we were together in college, but the burgeoning feelings I felt towards Edward were completely different.

After dinner, we walked out to the backyard and lay on the grass together, side-by-side. We watched the sun set over the lake, casting a deep red glow over everything. Edward shifted and propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me. He reached his hand out and touched a strand of my hair, which was billowing gently in the wind.

"You are truly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

I blushed and looked away. I felt his fingers on my chin, turning my face back towards him.

"And I love seeing you blush," he murmured softy.

Edward held my chin in his hands and softly kissed me. It was a delicate, sweet kiss, one that didn't demand answers or ravage the soul, just the soft kind that melted the heart.

When he pulled away and lay back down on his back, I was disappointed but happy. This was enough for now. I had a month of this to look forward to and enjoy. I'd savor each and every day I had with him. I'd worry about the day after he left later. I sighed and he pulled me closer to him so the back of my head was resting on his chest. He circled his arms around me and intertwined our hands. They rested on top of my stomach, rising and falling with my even breathes.

I found myself nodding off in his arms. I normally wasn't tired at this time of day. It was the middle of my average workday. But the stress of the past two days was catching up with me. My head rolled to the side as I drifted off. The movement woke me up with a start causing Edward to chuckle. I blinked my eyes a few times before I realized that it was completely dark out.

"Edward, what time is it?" My voice was sleepy, still semi-awake.

"Sometime after ten I think." Hearing his voice through his chest was a very pleasurable sensation. It was like a gentle rumble before the smooth caress of his voice left his mouth.

"Tis too early..." I mumbled off, about to fall asleep again.

"Yeah, but we've both had two very exciting days haven't we?"

I felt Edward shift behind me and suddenly I was in the air, as he carried me back to the house.

"I can walk Edward," I protested.

He shushed me with his lips. "Yes I know you can. But you are dead on your feet so I'm taking care of you." He kissed me lightly again to ward off any further arguments.

"Fine," I grumbled.

He walked me back to the house, back into my room. I had forgotten that I had not officially shown him my room yet. Suddenly the room felt very small with him in it. He looked at me and smiled when he saw the anxious look in my eyes.

"Don't worry. Your virtue is safe tonight," he whispered.

He laid me down on my bed and kissed my forehead before he quietly walked out of the room and closed the door. I heard him walk to the other side of my house and go into his room. The night was quiet after that.

I stared at the ceiling for a long time. My mind was going in a million directions as I ran through the events of the day. The focus was our first kiss. That scene repeated itself many times. That kiss set my body and soul on fire. Never before had anything felt that right. It was like some kind of 'click' had occurred when our lips met. The second kiss was enough to burn the sun from the heavens. Eventually, even the thoughts of Edward's soft and sensual lips were not enough to keep sleep at bay. I slumbered with a smile on my face, dreaming of Edward.

----

I woke up from the most marvelous dreams, one in which the most gorgeous man in the world wanted to be with me. This man had piercing green eyes, messy bronze hair, and an awesome body. _Only in my dreams could I come up with a man so perfect looking_, I thought ruefully. I shook my head, trying to clear the sleep from my mind. _Too bad it was just a dream. _I shifted in my bed and realized I was still wearing my work clothes. This caused the memories of last night to come pouring in. I gasped as I felt the fire from his first kiss again. _That was no dream._ I slowly crawled out of bed and changed out of my clothes, tossing them absentmindedly about the room as I walked into the bathroom. The shower quickly woke my mind up and cooled my body down.

Refreshed and finally awake, I dug in my closet or another set of work clothes. _Only one set left. Time to do laundry._ I dressed quickly and combed the tangles out of my wet hair. I didn't feel like blow-drying it so I left it to air-dry. When I walked into the kitchen, Edward was nowhere to be found. I heard faint snores from down the hall. Quietly, I tiptoed my way down to his door and carefully cracked it open, being as silent as a mouse.

Edward Cullen, the man of my dreams, was sprawled across the bed, dead to the world, snoring all the while. I smiled as I watched him sleep. He was dangerously bare-chested. The muscle tone that I perceived under his t-shirt that first night was in plain sight. The muscles of his arms, chest, and abdomen were well defined without being too much. His lean, lanky body would look odd with a heavy, muscle-bound build. A smattering of bronze colored chest hair only improved the sight of his chest. His usual mussed hair faired no better in his sleep. If possible, it looked even better. I could see the top of a pair of boxers around his narrow hips peek out from under the sheets. The line of his boxers only emphasized the v-shaped muscle line across his hips. My vision started to get fuzzy. _Breathe Bella._ My eyes roved about the room and saw several shopping bags in the corner. _So that is where he ran off to yesterday. It also explains the clothes he wore last night. _In my surprise over the prior night's events, it didn't dawn on me until now that he had been wearing new clothes. My eyes returned to his chest.

My ogling was interrupted when his breathing changed. I blushed, afraid that I had just been caught. Thankfully, he only rolled over onto his stomach, his face turning away from me. However, that gave me something else to stare at. His back was just as tone as his front. As he resettled in his sleep, I stared as the muscles rippled across his back. Desire started to coil deep in my belly. Before my thoughts could go any further into the gutter, I backed away and closed his door.

I walked back to the kitchen and started rummaging around in the cupboards. He made me breakfast and dinner yesterday so it was time to reciprocate and show my appreciation.

I was whisking the hollandaise sauce vigorously when he walked into the kitchen about twenty minutes later. He broke into a huge smile when I finally looked up from my bowl and whisk. Edward was just as sexy as he was last night. I was slightly disappointed to notice that he had put on a t-shirt.

"Hi," I whispered.

"Hi." He walked over to me and gently kissed my forehead.

"Did you sleep okay?" I asked politely. I set the bowl with the hollandaise sauce down and walked over to the oven.

"Like a rock," he replied. He sniffed the air appreciatively. "What is that glorious smell?"

I opened the oven and pulled out a sheet of golden brown biscuits. "Home-made biscuits."

His stomach growled loudly in response. We both laughed. Edward shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the counter. "As you can tell, my stomach thinks they smell delicious."

"Thank you. I hope you like eggs benedict. I make mine with biscuits instead of English muffins."

"Sounds good to me."

Edward and I enjoyed our second breakfast together. He thoroughly enjoyed my version of eggs benedict. His plate was completely clean when he was finished. While I had cooked for others before, cooking for Edward was something different. There was a different feel to it, a sense of comfort I hadn't felt before. It was still so crazy, all this happening so fast. I never would have imagined three days ago that I'd be in my kitchen making breakfast for Edward Cullen who happened to be the handsomest man I had ever met. Of course, there was more to him then his looks, but it was definitely the first thing someone noticed.

Edward wrapped his arms around me from behind as I finished wiping down the kitchen counter after we finished breakfast. I sighed and leaned back into his embrace. He leaned his face down and nuzzled the back of my neck, wet hair and all. "A man could get used to this," he said softly.

I turned in his embrace to face him. His green eyes twinkled at me. I blushed and smiled back. "It is nice, but I have to go to work." The twinkle in his eyes faded slightly but he nodded his head.

"No rest for the weary, eh, Ms. Swan?" He buried his face in my neck again.

It took me a moment to collect my thoughts. He was learning how to distract me very quickly.

"Yeah..." I replied breathlessly, "Mr. Cullen." I pulled away before my body could refuse. "What are you going to do today while I'm at work?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled crookedly at me. "I don't know. I haven't figured that out yet." There was a gleam in his eye, similar to the one from last night when he came into the bar asking me to come home early. He was up to something, but I wasn't going to press him for details. Yet.

"Alright, I'll be home sometime after two when we close for the evening. Call me if you need anything."

I walked into the hallway towards the front door to get my bag and car keys. He followed me to the door and kissed me gently on the lips. This all struck me as incredibly domestic. I giggled as a rerun of _Leave It to Beaver_ came to mind with Edward as June Cleaver. Edward looked down at me curiously, wanting to know the source of my giggles.

"Am I that bad of a kisser that you feel the need to laugh at me?" he scoffed playfully.

I swatted his arm. "Not at all. You are anything _but _a bad kisser." My cheeks blushed in memory of last night's kisses.

He ran the back of his hand along my cheekbone, causing me to blush even more. Now was his turn to laugh. "Okay, Bella. I'll see you later tonight." He gave me another quick kiss on the lips before I walked out the door and into the midday sun.

As I drove to the bar, happy Edward thoughts kept bouncing through my head. They brought me back to earlier last night, just after Edward had left the Midnight Sun when he told me he was sticking around for awhile. Good old Jessica recognized Edward for who he was immediately.

_"Isabella Marie Swan," she shrieked, running over to the bar. "You have been holding out on me!"_

_I looked at her, trying to keep up my poker face. "What do you mean?"_

_She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her. "You know EXACTLY what I mean! That was Edward Cullen! THE Edward Cullen. The very same Edward Cullen who left in the middle of his concert last night!" She pouted. She was still pissed off about that. But seeing him here at the bar was enough to push that irritation aside._

_I shook my head in denial. "Jessica, his name is Anthony." Jessica huffed as I continued. "He looks a lot like Edward does, but that's it." I knew the truth, but neither Jessica nor anyone else needed to know that yet. _

_Jessica looked at me shrewdly. She knew something was up. "Anthony eh? So what did he come running in here to ask you? I've never seen _Anthony _come in here before. He acted like he knew you."_

_"He's been here once before. He came in here to ask for directions." Wow, lying was getting easier for me, even if it was only a partial lie. _

_Jessica eyed me up and down again. "Uh huh. You realize that Anthony is Edward Cullen's middle name, right?"_

_I was getting exasperated with Jessica's questions. I wish she would just shut up about Edward Cullen already. "Anthony is a pretty popular name."_

_She bore into me, feeling that her goal was in sight. "He also was holding a Seattle Mariners ball cap. Edward's brother Emmett plays for the Seattle Mariners."_

_Jessica definitely knew her facts about Edward. It was kind of scary. But if I hadn't already figured out who Edward was, her statement probably would've cleared it up. Hearing Emmett's name reminded me of the story Edward had told me about the wrestling match and the bet... and the dress. I started giggling._

_Jessica cocked her head to one side, not understanding why I would giggle after she told me about the ball cap. _

_"Oh, Jessica. You are so silly." I kept giggling._

_Her eyes narrowed briefly but my laughter was infectious. Before a minute had passed, the corners of Jessica's lips were twitching. "Yeah I suppose I was being pretty nutty about the whole thing. Imagine, someone like Edward Cullen, a musician and movie star, here in Vermilion." She spun around and walked back to her tables before she saw the look in my eyes._

_Yep, imagine that, I thought to myself, reality dragging its ugly face into view again._

I shook my head to break myself from those depressing thoughts. It was still something I would have to deal with eventually if things worked out. But like an alcoholic locked in a wine cellar, I was going to enjoy it while it lasted. My mind went back to last night while I was still at the bar. I was trying to convince my good friend and business manager, Angela Webber, to close up shop for me. She was off the night before, so she had no idea about the mysterious stranger I danced with.

_"Bella, you've never allowed anyone to close up for you before," Angela said, surprise coloring her face._

_"You know how to do it, Angela. You've closed up with me a ton of times."_

_"Yes, but-"_

_"Maybe I finally need to loosen the apron strings a little. You are more then capable, Angela. If you weren't, you wouldn't be employed by me."_

_The compliment brought a fair blush to Angela's cheeks. She was a quiet woman, quieter than even me. And she wasn't used to compliments, just as I wasn't._

_"Thank you, Bella." She looked at me, happiness shining in her eyes. Angela was touched that I finally trusted her enough with my baby to close it up._

_"Just call me if you have any questions or need anything. You'll have Jacob here too." Angela blushed again when I mentioned Jacob's name._

_Angela has a thing for Jacob? Interesting.... _

I pulled into the Midnight Sun just as my opening crew was arriving. Jessica and a few of the other staff members trickled in after I unlocked the door and flipped the lights on. I looked around to see if anything was out of place. But my trust in Angela was definitely put in the right place. She had closed everything down exactly how I would have done. Not a thing was out of place. Relieved, I started pulling chairs down off the tables.

The afternoon passed quickly. My happy mood made everything go by faster and easier then usual. Before Edward came into my life, I was content with what I had. I didn't realize I was missing anything until now. Now I was more then just content; I was happy too. Jessica could tell my mood had changed and apparently most people in the bar had picked up on it. She was still suspicious of who my mystery Anthony really was. Occasionally I'd catch her looking at me, her eyebrows furrowed deep in thought. Jacob even glanced at me a few times from his post at the front entrance. Finally, he mustered up enough nerve to talk to me about it.

"Hey, Bells." He leaned up against the side of the bar, trying to look nonchalant.

"Hi, Jake. What's up?" I continued wiping the bar down.

"Not much. You seeing that Anthony guy again?" The way he asked made me dread where this conversation was heading.

"Probably," I replied lightly.

His dark brown eyes darkened slightly, like his face wanted to scowl but he wouldn't get that far. "So you like that clown?"

I tried not to let the insult bother me. "Yeah, I suppose I do. What's it to you?" I tried to keep my voice soft and friendly but my eyes narrowed.

"Nothin'," he whispered as he looked down at his feet.

Something dawned on me then. "Are you jealous, Jake?"

His face froze, then a rich dusky blush rose to his cheeks. "No, it's just..." he trailed off, not able to find the words to express what was going through his head.

I smiled at him gently. "I understand, Jake. But you have to let it go eventually. It's been over five years."

He turned his face away from me, embarrassed. "I know."

I reached up and held the side of his face in my hand. "You'll find someone, Jake. You just need to open your eyes a bit more.

He turned his face back to me, puzzled.

"I think Angela likes you."

His blush deepened. "Really?" he asked shyly.

"Yes. She's a real nice girl too, Jacob. Honest, hardworking, and very sweet."

He nodded slowly. "That she is. Thank you, Bella." His eyes moved away from me now and focused on something far away. Jacob turned and walked back to his post by the front door. He looked deep in thought as I watched him at his point by the front door.

Happy Hour progressed into the night. I didn't trip or fall or break any beer bottles. All in all, it was a pretty good night. I caught Jacob talking to Angela a few times. Angela kept looking at him shyly as they spoke, the occasional blush creeping up her cheeks.

I was disrupted from my happy thoughts by the one man who could single-handedly ruin my day. "Hey there, Beautiful. How about a beer and a date on Friday?"

I ground my teeth together so hard I was sure my dentist was going to notice it at my next cleaning. Slowly, I turned and glared at Mike Sullivan. He smiled at me, full of arrogance and self-importance. He thought his all-American boyish good looks made him irresistible to any and all women.

He was wrong.

I grabbed a beer from the cooler and had to stop myself from chucking it at him. I envisioned the bottle smashing into his temple, splattering him with beer and hopefully knocking some sense into him. _Ah, if only._

I set the beer down before him, none too gently. I practically snarled at him. "My name is Bella. There's your damn beer. And as I've said many times before, no on the date. Not on Friday. Not on Saturday. Not on ANY day that ends in 'y'!"

He only looked at me, nonplussed, that arrogant smile still on his damned face. I'm sure he thought that if he kept on asking, eventually he'd get a yes out of me. _Fat freakin' chance of that!_

Thankfully he got up from the bar and made himself comfortable at one of the tables. There, at least he would be out of my hair. To be on the safe side, I kept an eye on him periodically through the night. I assumed that he would try to make a move on me again.

One of Edward's songs came on the jukebox and it made me smile. I actually stopped what I was doing, lost in the moment. Jessica just happened to be looking in my general direction at that moment and caught my happy, faraway look. Her curiosity got the best of her again and she came bounding over.

"I knew it! He IS Edward Cullen!" she squealed.

I rolled my eyes. This was really getting old. "Jess, I smiled because I happen to like this song. And, it's a song that Anthony and I danced to the other night."

Her eyes narrowed. "You don't dance. You never dance."

"Usually," I agreed. "But we weren't really dancing. We were swaying. My feet never left the floor."

Jessica only looked at me unconvinced. "So when can I meet _Anthony_?"

I laughed. I couldn't help it. "Never if you keep this up!"

She laughed too. Jessica still didn't believe me but would wait for another time to pounce. The battle wasn't over yet.

Around eleven that night, Jessica took her lunch break so I covered her tables. I made the unfortunate discovery that one of Jessica's tables had Mike as an occupant. _Damn._ I really didn't like dealing with this creep at all. I tried to distance myself from his table as much as I could. But it was unavoidable. In order to go to and from the tables, I would have to brush by his table. It was only a matter of time before he said or did something to get my attention.

"Hi, Beauuutiful," he drawled. He wasn't drunk yet, but he was getting there quickly. He was just starting to slur his words.

"My name is Bella, Mike."

"Yeah, like I said, Beautiful."

I sighed and squared my shoulders. "Do you need something, Mike?"

He smiled at me lewdly. "Yes. I need you to go get me another beer and then come running back over and straddle me."

Fury lit up my eyes. If I could burn someone with my gaze, he would be an inferno. "Drop dead, Mike."

I turned away from him and started to stalk back to the bar. Just as I turned away, Mike reached out and grabbed my butt, hard. I whipped around, completely and totally infuriated now, my eyes blazing. He shrank back slightly when he saw the look on my face, but it was too late. I slapped him hard across the face, hard enough to leave my hand print. The stinging in my hand felt good. This sleaze ball had crossed the line. "Do not EVER touch me again, Michael Sullivan. This is your last warning."

He merely smirked at me. Clearly he was enjoying this, even as the side of his face continued to redden in the shape of my hand.

Jacob met me over at the bar, worry and concern written all over his face. "Bella, I am so sorry I didn't stop him in time. I had just gone to the men's room. He knows how to pick the perfect time, that's for sure. Do you want me to throw him out?" He looked dangerously at Mike. He was eager to get his hands around Mike's neck.

"No, not yet. I am hoping he finally learned his lesson."

Jacob looked doubtful but did as I asked and returned to his position by the front door.

Shortly after that mess, Jessica came back from her break. I had paperwork to do so I filled her in on Mr. Grab-hands and advised her to tell Jacob the minute he got out of hand again. I finally got to retreat to the sanctuary of my office. My research for the restaurant addition plan still needed a lot more work and I needed to approve the supply order that Angela had done the night before. I settled into my paperwork as I pushed the noise of the bar into the back of my mind. It didn't take long to approve the supply order. Angela was very trustworthy so I barely had to look at it before signing it.

The restaurant research was infinitely more time consuming. I had only picked at my proposed plan here and there for the past several months. If I was ever to get this underway, I needed to focus and push all distractions out of the way. I pulled out some booklets on grants and entrepreneurship and started taking notes. Eventually I was too engrossed to pay attention to any particular noise. The restrooms were near my office so I was used to hearing some foot traffic from time to time but after awhile it all became background noise.

The noise from the bar masked his approach to my office.

"Hey beaauuiiitifulllllll," he slurred, truly drunk now.

Startled, I jumped out of my chair. "Mike-"

He cut me off as he lurched suddenly towards me. He cupped one hand over my mouth and used the other to pin me against my desk. I struggled to free myself but he was double my weight.

"Shhhhhh, now baby, don't be like that..." he cooed at me, his disgusting beer breath blowing into my face. His eyes ogled my body. I could only imagine the things he was thinking, things he had no right to imagine. It made me feel dirty and violated. "Now this is how it's going to go." He slowly moved his hand that was holding me against my desk. His mere presence, inches from mine, was enough at the moment to keep me where I was. "I'm going to move my hand from your mouth and you are not going to make a sound. If you do, I'll have to use this."

I finally saw where his free hand had gone after he released his hold on me. A knife was in his hand. It wasn't a large one, but it didn't have to be to still be deadly. My eyes darted wildly around my office, trying to find an escape. My brain whirled a mile a minute trying to gauge my chances of escaping unhurt. He was obviously drunk, but he had the distinct advantages of his larger size and being armed.

"See how easy that is?" he murmured in my ear, making me shiver. He moved his hand from my mouth and trailed his fingers down my neck to my collarbone. My skin crawled where his touched mine. "All you have to do is let me in, beautiful." His voice was losing some of the slur as his desire increased. I felt something hard poking me in the stomach. It was difficult to fight the urge to be violently ill.

"I will never let you in," I whispered scornfully.

"Ah, but you will, Bella. My beautiful Bella." He took the dull edge of the knife and pressed it against my throat. Then he trailed it down my chest to my belly button and back up to my neck. When it came back up, he flipped the knife over so now the business end was against my neck. I closed my eyes and willed my heartbeat to slow and the panic to cease. I had to be calm to survive this.

He watched my breathing slow and took it as an encouraging sign. "That's right, beautiful."

"Take your hands off her. Now," a voice demanded from behind Mike's back. The voice sounded familiar, but it was deadly, full of cold fury.

Mike turned to the new person, angry at being interrupted from his fun. "Back off buddy, she-"

His disgusting, drunken slur was cut off as a fist cracked squarely with his jaw. Mike's head snapped back around before he collapsed against my body, pushing me further into my desk.

"Ah, ouch!" I cried out as the knife that Mike had in his hand bit into my neck before it tumbled to the floor as he lost consciousness. I felt warmth trickle down across my collarbone. My already unsettled stomach seized at the smell of my blood in the air.

"Oh God, Bella, are you okay?" Edward's voice was all I heard as Mike's unconscious form was pulled from my body and tossed to the floor. I no longer had the energy to stand when Mike's weight no longer pinned me to my desk. I started to fall so I closed my eyes and prepared for impact.

Except the impact never came. I groggily opened my eyes to brilliant, emerald eyes, Edward's eyes. He caught me before I fell and held me against his chest as he sat on the floor. I turned my head and winced as I was reminded of the cut on my neck. I reached up and felt the hot, sticky, wetness and smelled that salty, irony smell that fresh blood gives off. My sensitive stomach began to churn anew. I hoped it wasn't a deep cut despite how it bled. I didn't do well with blood.

"Bella? Bella, look at me." Edward's eyes were full of concern and anxiety as he took in my bloody neck and sallow pallor.

"Edward..." I reached up with my other hand and touched his face. He was my angel. My stomach seemed to be trying to regain control. Edward's face calmed me.

"I need to get you to a doctor. And I need to get this monster out of here." Edward lifted me like he did last night, cradling me carefully to him. He carried me out to the hallway and hollered for Jacob. I felt like I was going to pass out. Everything was getting fuzzy. He looked down at me again, tenderly this time. "It's okay, Bella. It's all over. I'm here. You're safe."

Jacob came running over. As soon as he saw me with blood all over my shirt in Edward's arms, he looked like he was going to attack Edward. "You filthy, stink-"

"Jacob, it wasn't me! I walked into her office to surprise her and found Mike with a knife to her throat!" Edward explained urgently.

Jacob looked in my office and saw Mike laying on the floor and the knife not far from him. Jacob ran in and grabbed the knife before Mike could wake up and use it on someone else.

He turned to Edward and I, the same concern and anxiety that Edward had mirrored in his eyes. "Bella, are you okay?"

I nodded weakly in Edward's arms. "Call my dad, will you please?"

Jacob nodded darkly and walked back into my office to use the phone. Edward looked at me again, puzzled. "Shouldn't we call the police and get an ambulance to take you to the hospital?"

"Jacob is doing that. My father is the police chief."

"Oh."

Edward continued to hold me in the hallway outside of my office while Jacob guarded Mike. Angela stood by the entrance of the hallway to keep gawkers away until the police and EMS arrived. Jacob also grabbed some paper towels and gave them to Edward to hold at my neck. It only took a few minutes for sirens to be heard. A squad car came screaming into the parking lot and an ambulance wasn't far behind. I heard my father's voice long before I saw him.

"Bella? Bella! Where's my daughter? Bella!" Chief Swan stormed into the Midnight Sun. His face was a writhing cloud of fury mixed with worry and concern for his one and only daughter. He came running around the corner and stopped short as soon as he saw me in Edward's arms. He looked at me, then at Edward, then back at me again.

"Bells... are you okay?" He walked up to me slowly, reaching a hand to the wad of bloody paper towels at my neck.

"I'm fine, Dad."

"If you are fine, then what is up with all the blood?"

I winced. "Mike had a knife. When E-" I quickly edited myself, "Anthony punched him, Mike fell against me and the knife cut into my neck." When I mentioned Edward as Anthony, Edward looked down at me quickly before returning his attention to my father.

Edward nodded and continued the story. "When I walked in, he had her pinned against her desk. I told him to let her go. When he didn't, I punched him. He fell on her causing the knife to nick her neck."

My father's murderous gaze now locked onto Edward's. I felt a bout of sympathy for him. This was not the ideal way for a man to meet the father of a woman he was interested in. "And I assume you are Anthony?"

He looked down at the floor for a moment. "Yes, sir, uh, Chief Swan. I'm a friend of Bella's."

My father looked Edward up and down again. Then he relaxed slightly. "Thank you for saving my daughter."

Edward nodded but didn't say anything else. The tension I felt in Edward's shoulders lessened.

By now the paramedics couldn't be held back by my father any longer. They came up to me and started to treat my wound. It really wasn't that bad. It was just one of those kinds of cuts that bled a lot. I wouldn't even need stitches. They tried to get me to go to the hospital but I refused. My father tried to press me but I put my foot down. All I wanted to do was go home, preferably in Edward's arms_. _I didn't want to be fussed over any more tonight.

As the paramedics were finishing cleaning me up, my father handcuffed and arrested Mike, who was finally starting to wake up. After I was pronounced fit by the paramedics, an officer took my statement for the police report. The bar floor was pretty empty as everyone had gathered around the hallway to see what was going on after Charlie came charging in yelling.

I just wanted to go home.

Edward was more then happy to accommodate my request. He told Jacob and Jessica that he was taking me home and that I would call them tomorrow to see if I was up to coming in. I was too tired to argue. And to be honest, I really didn't have a good reason to argue. He scooped me up in his arms again and carried me out to his Volvo. The entire time after Edward saved me, he only let me go when the paramedics were cleaning me up. A few minutes later we were pulling into my driveway. Before I could get out of the car, Edward was already at my door lifting me out carefully. He cradled me like a precious, breakable doll as he walked into the house and laid me down on the couch. Edward made sure I was comfortable then went into the kitchen and came back only moments later with a glass of water and handed it to me. I realized as soon as the glass was in my hand that I was very thirsty. I drank nearly the whole glass on the first try.

Edward laughed softly and brushed a stray hair off my forehead. "How are you holding up?" His emerald eyes held mine with such a tender, lovingly look in them.

I touched my bandaged neck. "I've been better. But I could've been a lot worse if you hadn't come in when you did. Thank you. Thank you so very much. I can't thank you enough."

He sat on the floor by my head and looked me in the eye. "You're welcome. I don't know what I would've done if I had shown up any later. That scum should be glad that I came in when I did. If he had a chance to do anything else..." His voice trailed off. His face darkened and became more frightening. His liquid green eyes hardened. "If he had the chance to do anything else to you before I walked in... he would not be alive to do it at this moment."

My eyes widened. He was not joking. "Edward.... it's done and over. I'm alive and relatively unhurt. Let's just be glad that this," I gestured to my neck again, "is all that happened."

He only nodded before he leaned over and kissed my forehead. "You should get some rest. But first you need to get out of those bloody clothes."

I looked over at him. "I think I got some on you too."

Edward looked down at his button-down shirt, now ruined with blood splotches on it from where he held me. He shrugged his shoulders, indifferent to the damage done to his shirt. "It's alright."

He scooped me up in his arms again and walked into my bedroom. After he sat me up on the edge of my bed, he put his hands on my shoulders and looked deeply into my eyes. "Oh, Bella..." he trailed off, all the concern and worry clouding his beautiful green eyes. Before he could say anymore, he turned and started to walk out of the room.

"Edward, wait." I didn't want to be alone. Not tonight. Not after what happened.

He turned and looked back at me tenderly with a soft smile. "I'll be right back, Bella. I am going to change my clothes. Don't you want to get out of that bloody shirt?"

I nodded, relieved he was coming back. He turned back towards the door and left the room. I could hear his footsteps across the house as he walked to his room. I carefully got up, still a little unsteady on my feet, and changed into a pair of sleep shorts and a t-shirt. I had just crawled into bed when I heard a soft knock. A moment later, Edward peeked in the door. He smiled crookedly at me, making the physical and emotional pain of tonight wash away. Shyly, he walked in and sat down next to me on my bed. He was wearing something similar to what he wore this morning at breakfast; boxers and a t-shirt. I reached out to him, pulling him down next to me.

"Please, stay with me," I asked. I felt so safe with him. I knew I wouldn't get any sleep tonight if he wasn't here with me.

His green eyes turned molten as he gazed at my face. He reached out and caressed the side of my face. The fire I had felt the past two days when he touched me was still there, but it was different this time. Instead of the fire bringing out desire and need, now it brought comfort. I sighed and laid my hand over his. The need for sleep was calling too strongly now so I pulled his hand down from my face, settling it around my waist as I lay on my side. I could feel his breath stir my hair as he scooted next to me, curling his body around mine protectively. I sighed once more before I fell asleep.

**A/N Please read and review!**

**Have you seen Remember Me yet? What did you think?**


	8. Chapter 8: Recovery, Coming Clean, and

******A/N Special thanks to my betas HEAR and Sirenastarot through PTB. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Eight: Recovery, Coming Clean, and the Future**

**EPOV**

I gazed at the beautiful creature sleeping in my arms. Morning sunshine streaked faintly through her bedroom windows making her hair glow like molten chocolate. It also cast a very flattering glow on her peaceful face. The scent of strawberries wafted slowly to me as a breeze from the window stirred her hair. I inhaled her scent deeply and sighed. I could lay next to her for hours and watch her sleep. She shifted slightly, exposing the bandages at her neck. The sight of them brought back the memories of last night's assault. My hands clenched into fists as my arms pulled her body closer to me. I even growled.

_I hadn't planned on stopping at the bar. But I was so excited about my surprise for Bella that I just had to see her for a few minutes. When I walked in and saw she wasn't at the bar, I turned to the bouncer- Jacob I think his name was- and asked him where Bella was. He told me she was in her office and pointed me in the right direction. My excitement put a bounce in my step as I quickly crossed the distance across the bar. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the curious looks I was getting from a couple of the waitresses. I chuckled as I rounded the corner of the hallway to Bella's office._

_My laugh died in my throat when I saw some drunken blond guy pushing Bella forcefully up against her desk with a knife in his hand. "All you have to do is let me in, beautiful," the man drawled._

_"I will never let you in," Bella retorted, her voice full of scorn. _

_I felt a moment of pride despite my fury as she denied him. I walked as quietly and slowly as I could behind the man who must've had a death-wish for what he was trying to do to Bella._

_"Ah, but you will, Bella. My beautiful Bella."_

_Frozen in fear, I watched in horror as this creep pressed the dull edge of the knife against her throat and then dragged it down across her chest to her stomach and back up again. When it stopped, he flipped the blade over, pressing the sharp edge against the soft flesh of her neck. My vision turned red in absolute rage. Through that haze, I caught a brief look at her face as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself._

_The man spoke to her again, '"That's right, beautiful." He shifted his weight slightly, pressing even closer to her._

_I gathered all of my fury, anger, and rage and focused it into a cold inferno. If I let myself be ruled by my fear, Bella could get hurt. Taking a deep breath, I confronted the monster. "Take your hands off her. Now." This was not a request. I was not asking. This was a demand._

_In his drunken state, the man did not appear to be as startled as I thought he would've been. Perhaps this was advantageous. He turned his head in my direction and sneered, "Back off, buddy, she-"_

_I did not let him finish. I pulled my arm back and punched him square in the jaw, enough that I saw his head whip around. The momentum pushed him against Bella as he passed out._

_My satisfaction at knocking him out could was quickly cut short when I heard Bella cry out. I looked at her and saw the knife tumble from her neck, the blade red with her blood. Her face was white with shock as her eyes widened to the size of saucers. Blood slowly began to pool and ooze down her neck._

_I rushed over to her, panicked and horrified that she was hurt. I quickly tossed the drunken creep's body to the floor. "Oh God, Bella, are you okay?" She looked up at me, her face pale as she felt her blood drip down her neck. Her eyes closed and she started to fall._

_I grabbed her before she hit the floor and held her tightly to me. The blood at her neck soaked the side of my shirt but I didn't care. I held her back a little bit so I could look at her face. Her eyes were still closed but her pulse was steady. Slowly they opened, staring deeply into mine, full of shock. Then relief poured through her eyes like a flash flood. Bella turned her head to look around then winced when the movement disturbed her wound. She reached a hand up to her neck and snatched it back quickly, her fingertips coated with blood. Her pale skin took on a green pallor and her eyes pinched with anxiety._

_I tried to sooth her. "Bella? Bella, look at me." _

_She turned back to me, relief and panic warring with each other across her face. She reached up with her unbloodied hand and touched my face._

_"Edward..." she whispered, her voice barely audible._

_I started to gather myself off the floor, lifting her as I did. "I need to get you to a doctor. And I need to get this monster out of here." I looked down at her again; seeing her so fragile and weak cut me to the core. This was not the same strong, independent Bella "It's okay, Bella. It's all over. I'm here. You're safe."_

_The rest of the night flew by. I hollered for Jacob when I got her into the hallway. He took care of the guy in the office. Jacob said his name was Mike Sullivan and was always hitting on Bella, even getting a little too grabby from time to time. Apparently tonight he decided to escalate his pursuit. The cops and the paramedics showed up quickly after that. I only released my hold on Bella when the paramedics needed to check her. I tried not to cringe when I met Bella's father for the first time. I so did not want to meet him this way, with Bella hurt in my arms and him armed._

_Eventually I got her home. The shock and stress of the attack had worn her down. All she wanted was to sleep. I felt incredibly protective of her and didn't let her out of my sight, but after that kind of attack, I didn't want to push her. I had absolutely no problem with sleeping in the overstuffed chair she had in her bedroom, if she would let me. Thankfully, she wanted me close by too. It felt wonderful to feel Bella's small, warm body curled up next to mine. She fell asleep quickly. I was too keyed up from the night's events to sleep anytime soon. Eventually her steady breathing lulled me to sleep._

I shook my head to pull myself back to the present. The horribleness of the attack would not diminish the surprise I had planned for Bella. She still slept soundly in my arms. I buried my face in her hair and calmed myself with her sweet scent. _Strawberries... delicious._ Carefully, I untangled my limbs from hers and crawled out of the bed. I padded quietly across the room to grab a blanket from the nearby chair. Throwing it over my shoulder, I returned to the bed and gently scooped Bella in my arms without waking her, her exhaustion from the previous night's ordeal letting her sleep through the movement.

Making as little noise as possible, I carried her outside to the backyard and set her down on one of her lounging wicker deck chairs. Even though it was August, a cool breeze came in from the lake so I laid the blanket over her feet and legs. When I made sure she was settled and hadn't woken, I ran lightly back into the house and grabbed my guitar from my room. When I came back out, I sat next to her and began to play quietly.

My eyes closed as I played my guitar, falling into my music with thoughts of the beautiful girl sitting next to me guiding my fingers. There was not a particular song I played; I just let my fingers find their own path along the strings. Time held no meaning while I played. The only measure of time was the path of the sun across the sky.

Bella's quiet gasp alerted me that she had finally awoken. "Edward, what are you playing? It is beautiful," she whispered, her hand in front of her mouth in awe.

I turned my head to answer and found myself gazing into her eyes as I kept playing. Her breathing caught as I smiled at her. "Nothing in particular. I am just playing what I'm feeling right now."

She continued to stare at me, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" I kept playing.

"Dazzle me."

I laughed. "I dazzle you?"

"Frequently, which is saying a lot since I only met you three days ago." She smiled, her eyes dancing.

"Well, I'm glad. I'll do my best to continue to dazzle you." I leaned over and gave her my most dazzling smile.

Her eyes lost their focus and she blushed.

I laughed again as I put my guitar down on the grass and scooped her up in my arms. I held her gaze, putting all the feelings I had for her in that look; how strongly I wanted to be with her, to protect her, to care for her. She ran the back of her fingers along my cheek and jaw.

"I hope so. I would hate the day that you stopped." She leaned up in my arms and softly kissed me.

Later that day, I finally got to show her my surprise. I had gotten a few supplies from the local hardware store and decided to help her with the house. I felt like I owed her something for letting me stay here for free. I was plenty of money, yet she did not want any of it. So I would give her my sweat instead. Working on the house also provided a good distraction from thinking about my career. I still didn't know what I had to go back to in September. Granted, I still had the movie, but what else was left? Those thoughts would keep me deep in a bottle so I stayed distracted with physical labor. I had to pay attention otherwise I'd end up cutting off a finger or putting a nail through my hand.

Working on the house was a big risk. This could have been something that she wanted to do personally and she may not like how I did the work. It was her house after all, not mine. But my luck held that day. She loved it. It wasn't even much, just some trim work. She told me when she first brought me to the house about some of the work she wanted to do in the rooms that were mostly finished. She went into several detailed explanations. It was easy to see what she wanted to do, especially since I had helped my mother do restorations in the past. So I took care of all the trim around the doors, windows, baseboards, and crown molding. It was a lot to do in one day. Thankfully she already had most of the tools I needed to do the work. I wanted to do some other projects she had told me about too, but I thought it would be best to start small. If she didn't like the trim, it would be very easy to fix.

Each morning after she woke up, I showed her what I had done to the house. This kind of work was so different from what I had been doing for several years. It was exhilarating. I was working hard and not just for me, but for her too. This kind of work needed a different kind of focus than acting or being a musician. I didn't have to worry about memorizing lines or putting on a good show. I never felt like myself more than as I did with Bella.

Bella went back to work the next day after the assault. You couldn't have found a single person that would have blamed her for wanting to stay home a day or two, but that wasn't Bella's style. Physically, she healed in no time, but there were still aftershocks from the emotional assault. I was careful to never call her beautiful to her face. The first time I said it after the attack, her face drained of all color and she looked like she was going to pass out. I hoped eventually that would change.

We kept sleeping together after that night as well. I did not push our physical relationship beyond what we were both comfortable with doing. We explored each other's bodies, learning what we both liked, leaving us breathless and flustered but we never fully undressed in front of one another. I felt a bond with Bella that I never had with a woman before and I did not want to ruin it by having sex too early. Sure, I thought about it. I was a man after all, but she – no we – were worth waiting for the right moment. And…I was afraid. A part of me was afraid of the pull that she had over me. If we gave into our desires now, I would never want leave. I would find a reason to stay. While I would do just about anything for Bella, I could not give up my career for her, nor could I ask her to give up her bar and follow me to LA. Most importantly, I knew how insecure Bella was about my life in Hollywood and how superficially sex was treated there. I did not want her to think that I was here only for sex or a summer fling. Just being able to hold her each night was all I could ask for right now.

While my dreams made me take more cold showers than I thought I could possibly handle, she was worth it. She was everything to me. Bella asked me once, during a rather awkward conversation where she blushed the entire time, why I didn't try to push her to have sex. The simplest answer I could give her was that I didn't want her to think that was all I was after. As I got to know her, I realized that while she had learned to mask it well, underneath it all, Bella was still a shy girl afraid of what the boy she liked thought of her and how she compared to other girls in all the ways that girls compare themselves to one another. She seemed to go back and forth from wanting to go further physically and panicking about it to being perfectly happy to keep things as they were. I told her numerous times that we would only do what she was comfortable with doing and how much I treasured her and there was more to a relationship than sex. I could only hope my words sunk in. I knew neither one of us were virgins but that wasn't the point. It didn't feel like the right time for us. When that time came, I wanted both of us to be confident in one another and in our relationship. I had never been a manwhore, but I certainly looked forward to the time where I could show Bella just how much I treasured and adored her.

I realized in the weeks after the assault on Bella just how deep my feelings were getting. I had fallen in love with this amazing woman that I had only met by chance. When I played my guitar for her the morning after, something just clicked. It felt right, like _home._ It was like nothing I had ever felt before. And as the weeks progressed, those feelings deepened. At first I was so startled by it that I retreated a little bit into myself. I know it confused Bella and I think I hurt her feelings but I had no idea what was going on. I tried to sort it out but nothing made sense anymore.

It finally hit me one afternoon as I was composing a new song inspired by Bella. I was stumped on the phrasing of a particular line of the song. The right word just was not coming to mind. I tried running through the phrase again and the missing word came unbidden from my lips, "love." I sat there dumbstruck for a solid five minutes, and then I couldn't wipe the goofy smile across my face. I wanted hop in my car and go tell Bella right at that instant. As I rose to do just that, I was struck still by fear. What if she didn't feel the same? Would she panic if I told her and it scared her off? The wind had been taken out of my sails and I sat back down. I couldn't stand to lose her. I would wait to tell her. Maybe I was a coward, but I didn't want to jeopardize a single thing with this wonderful woman. When the moment came to tell her, I would know. At least I hoped I would.

I really looked at where my life was going. Before meeting Bella, what kind of person was I? Instead of dealing with my pain and frustration and fears, I tried to drown them in a bottle. Before I met her, there was not a day that went by that I did not have a drink or two or three or more. Whatever it took to make the craziness of my life easier to deal with, I drank it. I kept seeing in my mind the ways that I'd disappointed myself and my family, my drunken exploits that were so eagerly gossiped about in the tabloids and entertainment channels on television. Now there was clarity and restraint. I might have a glass of wine with Bella at dinner or a beer at the bar, but it was only in moderation. Restraint was now my friend. I found that I liked this new friend.

As days passed, even Jacob seemed to warm to my presence when I would stop in at the bar. After what happened with Mike, he seemed to realize that I really cared about Bella and he backed off a bit. He also helped run some deflection when that one waitress, Jessica, would stare at me. She never approached me, only stared. Bella explained to me one night at home that Jessica was certain that I was the one and only Edward Cullen. But since Bella had lied to her so consistently every time Jessica asked about me, Jessica began to doubt what my identity was. Bella liked to tease me every time she caught Jessica staring at me. It wasn't so bad.

So much had happened between Bella and I in those first three days that it made our heads spin. We took the following weeks at a much slower pace. We wanted to truly get to know each other as much as we could. Time passed far too quickly. Before I knew it, it was the last week I had in Ohio, and to make matters worse, it was also the week of Bella's twenty-fifth birthday.

------

Bella and I sat outside while we ate breakfast. This had become a daily ritual for us. One of us would make breakfast, usually the one who got up first, and we'd sit out on the deck and enjoy the late morning. The only times we had to stay indoors was when it rained. I looked over at her, still in awe of her quiet beauty. My hands itched to touch her soft, creamy skin. She looked up from her plate and caught me staring at her again. Despite all the times that I gazed at her, it still caused her to blush.

"What?"

I cocked my head to the side, smiling at her. "Huh?"

She shook her head, smiling back at me. "Edward, you are such a goof. Always staring at me."

"Is it such a bad thing to stare at a beautiful woman?"

She blushed again, this one creeping up to her hairline. _Adorable as ever._ "I suppose not," she mumbled.

I got up and knelt next to her, never breaking my gaze with her. "Good, because I never want to stop looking at you. You are such an amazing woman, Isabella Swan."

I leaned forward onto the balls of my feet and kissed her. The ever-present fire that simmered anytime I was around her swelled. She leaned into my kiss and I felt her hands in my hair. Her lips became more insistent. I happily obliged. I cupped her face in my hands, relishing in the smooth softness of her skin. Bella leaned into me further, half out of her chair. I shifted my weight as she leaned further into me, but it was too late. I lost my balance and fell backwards into the grass. She came tumbling after me.

I laughed as we laid there, our limbs all tangled up. The weight of her body on mine was a very pleasant sensation. It felt as though electricity flowed from every point our bodies touched. My mind started to wander to thoughts of how much more pleasant this would be if neither one of us was wearing any clothing.

She giggled and brushed her hair out of her face. "Sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be." I wrapped my arms around her waist as she started to get up. "Where are you going? I wasn't finished showing you how great you are."

If it was possible, she blushed again. But she stayed where she was, lying on my chest with our legs interlaced. I craned my neck up and gently pressed my lips to hers. Bella leaned into me so I wouldn't have to strain my neck to try to kiss her. Her hands found their way into my hair again. Our kiss deepened, my arm tightening around her waist. I unwrapped my other arm and ran my fingers through her long brown hair. As my hand rested at the back of her neck, my fingers twisted in her hair. She moaned softly as we came up for air. Suddenly, I couldn't get enough of her. I rolled us over so she was beneath me on the grass. My lips grazed across her jaw, down her throat, and across her collar bone. Bella shivered underneath me. Her hands clenched in my hair, tugging on it. _Mother of God, this woman is driving me nuts._ Now it was my turn to moan. I rose from kissing her shoulder to look into her eyes. Her brown eyes mirrored the same desire as mine held.

"Bella…" I whispered huskily. She stroked my cheek. _Should I tell her? How will she take it? Will she think I am serious? _My nerves got the best of me and I chickened out.

She noticed the shift in my thoughts and that I wasn't going to finish what I was going to say to her. Hurt shadowed her beautiful brown eyes, but was quickly masked as she regained control of herself. Her body tensed up in response, effectively breaking the mood. I rolled over on my back and released her, frustrated with myself. Bella got up, righted the chair that had fallen over when she fell, and collected our breakfast dishes. I stared up at the sky, wishing I could turn back time just for five minutes. She didn't say a word as she walked back in the house and into the kitchen.

_Damn it. I hurt her feelings. _I got up and brushed the grass off the back of my clothes and followed her in the house. She was leaning up against the sink, shaking silently.

"Bella," I tried again.

Her body stilled when she heard my voice. She turned her face away from me, her hair creating a curtain blocking my view.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered with a soft catch to her voice.

I gasped softly. She was crying. _I _made her cry. I felt like such an ass.

"Doing what? Bella, why are you crying?" I walked up to her and tried to pull her into my arms but she turned away. _Ouch._

"You say such nice things to me and then push me away. This isn't the first time you've done this. I tried to ignore it before, but this morning, it was just too much!"

I was shocked. I had no idea she felt this way. I didn't realize my hesitation made her feel like I was trying to push her away. "Oh God, Bella… I am so sorry. I'm not trying to push you away." I tried to hold her again. She kept her distance.

"Right," she said coldly, clearly not believing me. "I know what you are doing. You are trying to make it easier for you to leave. So you won't have to lie about coming back."

This was the worst kind of conclusion she could have formed. I was horrified that she would even think anything like that. I was just a dumbass that couldn't get past my own fears and say three little words to the woman that meant more to me than anything else in the world.

"Bella, that is the farthest thing from the truth. I didn't mean to push you away this morning or any other time. I was having difficulty putting to words what I wanted to tell you. I was afraid."

Bella inclined her head towards me as I spoke.

"I am not looking forward to leaving, but I have to go. And I will be back. I promise you I am coming back as soon as I have a break in my shooting schedule."

She turned and looked at me fully this time, hope in her eyes as her tears dried on her cheeks. This time when I reached for her, she let me hold her. I rested my cheek on the top of her head and stroked her hair. Bella's hands rested on my hips.

"You have no idea how important you have become to me, Bella. I could not imagine not having you in my life, even if we have to be apart from time to time."

She shuddered slightly in my arms. I lifted her chin so I could look her in the eye. I had finally found my moment.

"That is why it has been so hard for me to say certain things to you. If you turned me away afterwards, I wouldn't be able to take it. You are my life now. And I can't hold back any longer. Bella, my dear, sweet, wonderful Bella… I love you."

Her eyes widened and fresh tears sprang up. I was at a loss. I had made her cry again. Regretfully, I started to let her go, my heart sinking to the floor. I wondered how quickly I could get a flight back home.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I won't bother you-"

Bella interrupted me with her fingers across my lips.

"No, Edward," she whispered as she wrapped her other arm around my waist, not letting me step away. "I want you to bother me as much as possible because I love you too."

My heart soared. Was this really possible? My angel loved me too!

The breakfast dishes dried in the sink as we continued where we left off in the grass. I buried my face in her neck, trailing a slow line of kisses up and down her neck. My hands forged a path from her hair down to her hips and back again. Our bodies were on fire. We were both breathing hard as we continued to kiss and touch each other. I wanted to see and feel every inch of Bella's body. I kept my hands clenched at her hips tightly, afraid of where they might go if I released them. My new friend Restraint helped to keep my desire in check. I finally regained my senses when I felt Bella trying to pull my t-shirt up. Carefully, I removed her insistent hands from my shirt while I moved my lips o her jaw and up her chin.

"Bella, love," I whispered, my voice thick and my breathing heavy.

"What?" she pouted. Her hands found their way into my hair, tugging gently on the strands. Her eyes locked with mine and I almost lost my resolve.

"You're going to be late for work," I murmured, kissing her again.

"I don't care," she replied, nibbling my ear.

_Evil, evil woman._

"Bella..." I repeated, reproachfully. Against every fiber of my body, I untangled her small but strong hands and kept them clasped in mine as I took a step back. "We talked about this."

She sighed, still pouting. "Okay, okay. But this is not over," she threatened, her eyes momentarily filled with longing that made my knees weak and my pants tight. She started to turn away so I released her hands and she walked into her bedroom to change into her work clothes.

Desperately needing some fresh air before I did something I might regret, I walked outside and started to prep my next project for the house. I wasn't far into my task when she came out. She was wearing what she normally wore to work; black pants and a t-shirt with the bar's name on it. But this time, something about Bella was different. She sauntered towards me in a slow, seductive manner I'd never seen her use before. My restraint was being well tested today. Bella's decadent brown eyes locked with mine, ablaze with emotion.

"Edward." Her voice was low and husky.

I wanted to grab her and drag her back into the house right then and there. She smiled wickedly at me. Bella knew exactly the affect she was having on me. I couldn't even voice an articulate response. When I tried to speak, I only made choking sounds.

Bella laughed. She stopped about a foot from me, her gaze never leaving mine. She reached up and gently touched my check.

_What is this evil temptress up to?_ I stared back at her, thoroughly puzzled.

Suddenly her hand locked around the back of my neck and she dragged my head down to hers. Before I even had time to react, her lips were on mine. There was a ferocity with this kiss that she had never expressed before. All the rational thoughts in my mind started to go numb while other things were wide awake. Just as suddenly as it started, she released me. I was left gasping for breath, both my mind and my body collectively thinking _"What the fuck just happened?"_

Bella sauntered back to her truck, taking her time. She turned her head towards me as she went, "Thought I'd give you something to think about today." Her earlier threat about unfinished business hung in the air.

My mind was still numb as she drove away. It took me several minutes before I could think straight again. I sighed. _I am in so much trouble when she comes back._ After my mind cleared, I remembered I had to make a few phone calls before I got too far into my latest project. I finally had to face reality and make some arrangements for my return to LA.

I grabbed my phone and turned it on. Since I had been in Ohio, my phone had been off more than it was on, something unheard of for me prior to this. As usual, I had several voicemails and texts. Marcus was the big winner again with Alice not far behind. Marcus's messages were pretty tame, for him. He was just checking up on me making sure I was really going to be coming back to Los Angeles. His last call came in yesterday. _Alrighty... I can't be putting that off much longer. _Alice's messages, as usual, were much nicer. She wanted to know how I was doing and asked when I'd be back in town. She missed seeing her big brother. I shot her a quick text stating that I was fine and I would call her later to fill her in on what had been going on. I needed to get things set with Marcus first.

As was his habit, Marcus answered on the first ring. "Good Afternoon, Edward." His voice actually sounded friendly.

"Hi, Marcus, how are you?"

"Fine. To what do I owe the pleasure of you actually calling me back?"

I laughed silently to myself. He could only go so long without being sarcastic.

"I would think you would know the answer to that even more so than I do. I need you to send me my copy of the script so I can start looking it over before the rehearsals start on Monday."

"Ah ha!" Marcus laughed. "I can do one even better. I can hand-deliver it to you."

"You're in Ohio?" I asked incredulously. Even though I knew it wasn't possible, I looked around the front yard to see if Marcus was going to appear out of thin air.

"Yes, I just got in at Hopkins in Cleveland. I had to make sure you were coming back. And since you don't answer your cell phone much anymore, I thought I'd drop by in person."

"But you don't know where I am."

Marcus laughed again. "The brilliance of the technology we have nowadays. I was able to narrow down the general vicinity of where you are based on the GPS locator in your rented Volvo. However, it would be a great help if you could give me a precise address."

I was stunned. But I should've known better. Marcus was very resourceful. Hell that was one of the reasons why I hired him as my manager to begin with. He'd probably known where I'd been this entire time, giving me my space until I really truly had to go back. _There was no 'probably known', he HAD known._

"Thank you Marcus," I murmured, my voice muted in my sincerity. He was a better friend than I gave him credit for.

"You're welcome, Edward. It is good to hear your voice again. You are finally starting to sound like the Edward I first met several years ago." He paused. "Now, about that address."

I gave him the address to Bella's house. I hoped she wouldn't mind, but I didn't want Marcus pulling up at the bar. This was more discrete. It would take Marcus about an hour to get here from the airport, giving me some more time to work on the house. So I returned to my project and climbed onto the roof to attack some shingles.

---------------

I was deep into roofing shingles when I heard a car pull into the gravel driveway. Assuming it was Marcus, I glanced down quickly and saw Marcus's long, dark hair through the driver's side window. I'm sure I was quite a sight compared to what Marcus was used to seeing of me as he looked up at the roof. He had never seen me doing any kind of manual labor or outdoor kind of work. I was standing on Bella's roof wearing only work boots, cargo shorts, and a tool belt slung across my hips. I was never a big, muscled kind of guy, but all the house work was definitely helping my definition and adding color to my typical pale skin. I continued nailing shingles down as I heard the car door slam and footsteps heading towards the front door.

"Edward?" he yelled up to me. There was some uncertainty in his voice. I couldn't possibly look that different in a month.

I turned around and carefully walked down the slope of the roof to the ladder. "Hey there, Marcus. How was the drive?" I nimbly scaled down the ladder and joined him by the front door, taking his extended hand and shaking it firmly.

He looked at me quizzically. "It was fine. You are looking well, quite well, actually."

I grinned at him as I wiped sweat from my brow. This past month had been great. I was in a pretty happy place and I was even looking forward to starting the new movie. I would miss Bella horribly and I would be counting the days till I could see her again, but I genuinely enjoyed being an actor. Bella helped me relax enough so I could enjoy my craft again. She was such a quiet and calm person and that presence rubbed off on me as I spent time with her. Getting to know her made me realize that there was something real out there. It is something I would keep close to my heart when we were separated from one another. I had lost sight of that over the past several years. There was nothing real to anchor me down and keep me centered. Her love was my anchor.

"Thanks."

"So... what exactly have you been doing this past month? I didn't know you knew how to do roofing." It looked like Marcus wanted to ask something else, but he let it drop.

"You remember my mother, Esme, right? She is an architect who deals with historical preservation. When I was younger, I helped her out at the job sites. I'm no master carpenter, but I can hold my own with most power tools."

"You are a man of many talents, Edward Cullen."

I shook my head. "Not really, but thanks all the same. Do you want to see the rest of the house?"

Marcus seemed intrigued. He followed me into Bella's house as I gave him an abbreviated version of the tour Bella gave me the first night I was here. Marcus looked around with sincere interest. Besides being my manager, he also had an eye for real estate. I could see him appraising the house as we went along. He was also shooting curious looks in my direction as I spoke.

"Who owns this place? It's a beautiful piece of property."

I gestured proudly to the mantle over Bella's fireplace where a collection of pictures stood. "She does."

Marcus walked over to look more closely at the pictures. I followed his gaze as he looked at a picture of Bella and her parents when she graduated from high school, of her and Jacob while at college, of Bella and her parents at her college graduation, of her standing by a sold sign in front of this house, of her outside the Midnight Sun on the day it opened. Marcus's eyebrows shot up when he read the name of the bar on the picture. He stopped completely when he looked at the next and last picture. It was a picture taken of Bella and me from about a week ago, as we walked along Main Street Beach in Vermilion. Bella had her camera with her that day and was taking a ton of pictures of me and the outdoors. Sometime during that afternoon, we found someone to take a picture of us. I loved that picture. We had our arms around each other, faces beaming with a hint of laughter in our eyes. Marcus carefully picked the picture up from the mantle and examined it more closely. He looked at me, then back at the photograph, then back at me again.

"Her name is Bella Swan."

He nodded, looking at my face intently, looking for something. "She is very beautiful."

I smiled warmly, "Yes she is." _She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met._

"Does she have anything to do with you wanting to take some time off?"

"Yes and no."

Marcus lifted one eyebrow at me, signaling me to continue. "I knew I needed a break after the debacle of the Odeon show. I was going to have a complete breakdown if I didn't stop. I was so close to hitting bottom. I didn't even know where I was going when I left that night. I just drove. When I pulled into the bar, I felt drawn to the place."

"Are you sure it wasn't because they served alcohol?" Marcus teased.

"No," I rolled my eyes at him. "I didn't even really know what was going on. I walked in and saw her. There was just something about her that I couldn't put my finger on. I couldn't stop looking at her, I couldn't stop wanting to talk to her, to keep her near." Marcus was giving me a pointed look. "Yes, Marcus, I was attracted to her, but it was more then that. Originally, I wasn't planning on staying in the area after that night. I had thought about going back to Forks for awhile. But... here I am."

"Fixing her roof."

"Well, she won't let me pay rent so I have to do something for her. Plus I genuinely like working on the house." The added benefit of seeing how happy my work made Bella was all the incentive I really needed.

"You've been living here?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah."

Marcus let out a loud, bellowing laugh and clapped me on the back of my shoulder with a wicked twinkle in his eye. "Now I see why you are in such good spirits! I thought your dry spell was never going to end!"

I was instantly furious. I knew Marcus didn't mean anything bad by it, but it still made my blood boil. "It's not like that Marcus. She's not that kind of woman." I glared darkly at him.

Marcus backed off, raising his hands to ward off any further dark looks. "Easy, Edward, my apologies. I didn't mean to offend you. But what do you expect me to think? You are living here with a woman you readily admit that you are attracted to and it is fairly obvious to my eyes that you have feelings for her."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to will my anger away. This was not a conversation I had expected to be having with my manager, or anyone else for that matter. "I know what it looks like Marcus. I'm not stupid. She's just not that kind of woman. This isn't a casual thing for me or for her. Our relationship isn't defined by sex. I really care about her."

"You haven't?" he asked, incredulously.

I shook my head. "Like I said, I really care about her and our relationship is more than just a physical connection."

"And it appears she feels the same," he answered, indicating the picture of us still in his hands.

I nodded hoping that this conversation was going to be over soon.

He thought to himself for a moment before speaking. Apparently my luck was not holding out today. "And you are going to try to continue the relationship even after you return to LA?"

I nodded again, trying to understand where he was going with this conversation.

He looked puzzled. "Is she coming with you?"

"God no. She has her own life here and she has her bar to run. We are going to try to see each other when we can, when either one of us gets some free time."

"For how long?"

I ran my hands through my hair, feeling myself getting agitated again. "Look, I don't know, Marcus. Does it really matter? I wouldn't be the first actor to date someone who wasn't in the industry!" I started pacing across the living room floor.

He nodded his head once, looking at me intently, trying to get me to look him in the eye. I kept pacing. "That is true, but is she prepared for what it means to be dating a celebrity? I'm honestly surprised that the paparazzi haven't found you yet. How have you not been recognized at all this past month?"

"People around here know me as Anthony Masen. No one-"

"She doesn't know?!" he interrupted.

"If you let me finish, Marcus," I said tightly, "I was going to say that no one knows who I really am here except for Bella. She guessed it the first night. But she, being the amazing woman that she is, didn't blow my cover and announce to everyone who I am."

I had hoped that Marcus would be happy for me, or at the very least be happy I wasn't still a drunk. But he seemed angry with me now and it surprised me greatly. His next words would stop me in my tracks.

"That still doesn't answer the question about her being prepared for what she is getting into. The minute that any of those gossip rags or the paparazzi find out about her, they are going to swarm over Vermilion like a band of locusts. Is she prepared to handle that? Do you really want to put this woman you care so much about through all that?"

"Oh my God." I sat down on the couch as realization came over me. My eyes stared out in shock. I imagined my beautiful Bella being surrounded by video cameras and paparazzi hounding her with questions about us as she tried to leave her bar, as she tried to walk to her door, as she tried just living her life. I could see the panic, embarrassment, and fear in her eyes. She didn't like being the center of attention. And here I was, about to feed her to the lions. All she did was love me. She didn't ask for any of this. I buried my face in my hands. I had been so blind. I hadn't even considered how the media exposure would affect her. Hell, it had almost broken me and I had prepared for it and expected it.

The clear path I had envisioned for Bella and I was no longer so clear. I didn't know what to do anymore. For certain, I couldn't just up and leave and never come back. If I did that, I'd be back in the bottle before the plane landed in LAX and I would never come out. She was my rock. But I couldn't let the very public nature of my life impact hers. I just couldn't.

Marcus patted me on my shoulder, trying to be comforting. "I'm sorry, Edward. I truly am. I can see how much you care about her. But you and Bella are from two completely different worlds. Ordinary people can't survive in our world."

"Bella is far from ordinary," I muttered, staring at my work boots.

Marcus continued as if I hadn't said anything. "Do you really think it could possibly work?"

I looked straight at him while he gazed at me sympathetically. "Yes," I replied simply, "if we are both willing to make it work. Idealistic I know, but it's true. I've never felt like this about anyone in my life. I love her Marcus. And I am not going to just give up at the first hurdle. However, it's not just my choice to make. I'll talk to her about what could happen with the media and all the garbage being in the public eye entails. And if she still wants me, I'm hers. If not, I'll be happy for the time I had with her and gracefully bow out."

Marcus shook his slowly head. "Edward, for your sake and hers, I certainly hope she is willing to make it work. But I doubt that it will be that easy, that cut and dry for either one of you. If she says no, could you really just walk away?

I cringed at his words and tried not to focus on them.

"If that's what she wanted." My heart screamed bloody murder. It wanted me to fight for her, to make her see that it would be worth it. And I would, but I would not force her into the craziness that surrounded my life. She had to be willing to do it and strong enough to survive it.

Marcus nodded again. He seemed satisfied with my responses. He put the picture of Bella and I back on the mantle and reached into his briefcase. "Well, shall we discuss the real reason I'm here?"

"Sure."

Marcus joined me on the couch and handed me the script to my next movie, _Everything, But_. I idly flipped through some of the first scenes, trying to focus on the task at hand and not my burgeoning love life. The first several scenes I was familiar with from the bit of the script I was sent before I signed on to the project. Now I finally had the entire script, but I couldn't remember who else was going to be in the movie. Based on the success of my previous movie, the director and producer didn't even bother with a screen test so I wasn't sure who all my co-stars were going to be. I had heard various rumors about who else was going to be in the movie, but I hadn't been paying very close attention.

"Marcus, refresh my memory. Who else is in this movie?"

He looked over at me and laughed slightly. "You must've been in a bigger alcohol induced haze than I realized when I told you who was also in the movie, or more importantly who is playing the female lead."

I groaned to myself. This cannot be good. "I honestly do not remember Marcus, alcohol or not. Please just spit it out."

"Tanya Denali."

My eyes about popped out of my head. "Tanya?"

"Yes, Tanya."

"Oh this is so going to complicate things."

I suddenly wasn't very excited about doing this movie. The next several months were going to be very difficult.

Marcus raised an eyebrow at me, "I imagine that it would. She never forgave you for breaking up with her, and she obviously still has some kind of strong feelings for you. I can't decide if it is hate or lust. Anytime she is near you she acts like she is going to jump you."

I groaned again. "I know. I try to avoid her at all costs. I can't get it through her thick, annoying skull that we are over and I want nothing to do with her. Especially after meeting Bella, I am quite certain there will never be anything between Tanya and me ever again."

Tanya Denali was an ex-girlfriend, if you could call _her_ that. We went out for awhile but it didn't go very far and didn't last very long. I had met her when we were both in the same movie a few years ago. We hit if off instantly. She was beautiful, as most actresses tend to be, but her beauty was only skin deep. It only took me a few months to see how ugly she was inside. Tanya was vain, greedy, and hateful. She vowed revenge on me after I broke up with her. And now I was going to be her romantic love interest in this new movie. _This could not get any worse._

I flipped through more of the script to see how intense some the scenes were going to be. My whole body cringed in revulsion when I scanned through a bedroom scene. I closed the script before I made myself sick. I groaned for the third time when I recognized the director's name. This all was told to me when I signed on to do the movie, but since I had been too busy drinking my life away, I hadn't remembered.

James Richardson was considered a difficult director. He was infamous for enforcing long hours, up to sixteen hours a day. He was extremely particular and would redo a scene as many times as it would take to get it right. But on the flip-side, he did not belabor anything. Working those long hours ensured filming was done as quickly as possible. It was still going to be a very intense several months. _All the more intense due to Tanya. She is not going to make my life easy._

I sighed and looked over at Marcus before speaking as sincerely as I could. "Thanks man, thanks for everything." He had done a lot for me that he didn't have to do and not just in the past month either.

He smiled, relieved that I was really going back to LA. "No problem, Edward. I'm glad to see you, the real Edward, back in action. The guy that took your place in the past year was a jackass."

I laughed at his chastisement. The more I thought about how I had acted, I could only agree with him. I had been a jackass and more. But that has changed now because of Bella.

"How long are you in town?" I was hoping we'd have some more time to hang out like we used to do.

He sighed as he got up. "Not much longer. I have to be back in LA by this evening. My flight out leaves in four hours. Oh, speaking of flights, I have your ticket. Your flight leaves on Friday afternoon. I'll pick you up at the airport when you arrive at LAX." He fished in his briefcase for a minute before he pulled out my airline ticket and gate information. "Here. You better be on that flight or I'll come back here and flog you myself," he warned.

"I will, I will, I promise. Since you still have a little bit of time, come with me to the backyard. We can sit and relax a bit."

As we walked towards the back of the house, Marcus spied my guitar and some sheet music on the kitchen table and stopped. "Hey wait, have you been composing again?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah actually I have. Not all the songs are down on paper yet though. They are still marinating up here." I tapped on the side of my head with a grin on my face.

"That is great news, Edward! It has been so long!" He clapped me on the back happily.

"Yes it has. I was starting to wonder if I'd ever be able to write another song again. But being here with her, she brought it back to me. She opened me up to my music again."

Marcus shook his head in disbelief. "This woman has done all of this for you and she hasn't fucked you. Unbelievable."

I ignored his comment. When Bella and I did finally get to that point, it wouldn't just be fucking.

We talked for a little bit after that. He was very happy that I had found my way out of the hole I had been digging myself into for the past year. He asked a few more questions about Bella before filling me in on anything important or exciting going on in LA. At any given day or time, there was always something exciting going on in LA, but very little of it held any interest for me. Thankfully, Marcus knew what I wanted to hear about, so it was a tolerable way to spend the afternoon. _I may have to finish the shingles later in the week_, I thought as I saw the sun gradually continue its path across the sky.

Marcus looked at his watch before getting up. "Time for me to go, Edward."

I nodded and walked with him back to his car. "I'll see you on Friday."

Marcus gave me a quick hug, something he hadn't done in a long time. "Till Friday. Take care of yourself."

I watched Marcus's car pull away and head back towards Cleveland. Deciding that sooner was better than later, I went back up onto the roof and continued nailing shingles down, picking up where I left off before Marcus arrived, before he arrived and pointed out some tough choices that Bella and I were going to have to make before the week was out. I just hoped she could handle what was going to eventually find her.

**A/N Please review! :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Declarations

**********A/N Special thanks to my betas HEAR and Sirenastarot through PTB. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**The alerts for this chapter went out twice today. I had to delete what I had posted before. Apparently in my eagerness to get Chapter 9 out to you, my lovely readers, I accidently posted Chapter 10 instead. So now that it's been fixed, enjoy! **

**Chapter Nine: Declarations**

**BPOV**

I didn't know what had gotten into me. I had never acted like that before. Edward had me all riled up and then he stopped right when it was really getting good. My body burned with unsatisfied need. So I decided to make him burn a little too. With confidence I didn't realize I had, I waltzed outside channeling my inner minx. The look on his face when I walked out the door to him was priceless, even if I did feel a little silly the entire time. I wanted Edward in every possible way, even if I was scared shitless about it. One thing stood out above all the needs and wants of my body.

He loved me.

As much as it made me happy, it seemed so impossible. I was incredibly ordinary. There was not one thing that made me stand out from any other woman, especially compared to the beautiful women of Hollywood. To have someone as extraordinary as Edward love me... it was unbelievable, unfathomable, and improbable. He could easily have his pick of any woman out there. Lord knows he has worked with all kinds of beautiful, talented women and yet, he chose me. I didn't understand it. But I would try enjoying it as long as I could, until Edward eventually moved on. He swore he wouldn't, but it was inevitable. Men as beautiful as him did not stay with 'plain Jane' types like me.

I knew I was starting to fall for him the morning after the assault by Mike Sullivan. Not only had he saved me from Mike, but he stayed and cared for me and didn't run when he met my father. He looked so scared when he caught me from falling. Edward was so gentle and only released me from his arms when the EMTs needed to treat me. I never felt as safe as I did when I was in his arms. When I woke hearing him play such lovely music coming from his guitar, it was impossible not to melt. I didn't even realize he had his guitar with him. The look on his face was so relaxed and free, and when he looked at me, he had such a look of affection and adoration in his eyes... it was impossible not to return it.

Falling in love with him was scary. Hell, falling in love period was scary. Add to the equation the differences in our lives and where we lived and it became downright nightmarish. I couldn't stop how my heart felt but my brain still screamed caution. So I held my tongue. I was still afraid to give my whole heart, afraid that he would leave and never come back. My situation wasn't helped when it was easy to fall in love Edward, this generous man who was a gift from the gods. He was so smart, incredibly talented, and funny. And who could forget how beautiful and undeniably sexy he was? There was so much more to him then the public face that his fans saw. I felt very special that he was showing me the real Edward Cullen, not just the public façade.

Until this morning, I was afraid he didn't feel the same. His actions gave me hope that that he did, from working on the house, occasionally making breakfast or dinner, his touches and kisses, his overall affectionate nature. Right when I thought I knew how he felt, he seemed to pull away. Edward was never rude or short with me; he just seemed to check out for a little bit. I tried to not let it bother me, but this morning it had gotten to be too much and I called him out on it.

He loved me.

I shut off my truck and floated into the bar on a cloud of happiness. Jacob arrived shortly after I pulled in and got to the front door as I was unlocking it.

"Hi, Jacob!" I chirped happily.

His eyebrows rose as he looked at me with a smirk on his face. "Somebody is in a good mood today."

I giggled. "I guess I am." I couldn't help it. I was in a great mood. Love seemed to do that to a girl.

"I haven't heard you giggle like that in a long time," Jacob said with a laugh.

I blushed.

"Could the reason for your giggles have a name?" he asked, snickering at my blush.

"Maybe..." I hedged.

"Maybe, my ass. Anthony is good for you if he is bringing this side of you out."

My blush deepened. I was touched. This was one of the nicest things Jacob had said to me in a long time. "Thank you, Jacob, that means a lot to me."

"So, you guys serious then? It's been about a month now, hasn't it?" he asked as we walked into the bar.

"Yeah, I guess we are." I tried to pretend not to cringe over the mention of the time frame. Jacob, knowing me as well as he did, saw the momentary mood change on my face.

"What is it, Bella?"

"He's going back home later this week. Anthony has a job starting on Monday."

"Aw, Bells, I'm sorry." He crushed me in a bear hug.

Just about everyone knew now that 'Anthony' and I were dating. He was becoming a regular face at the bar. For the time being, Edward and I agreed to keep his true identity a secret from everyone. We wanted to put-off any paparazzi invasion as long as we could. Edward slowly adjusted to being addressed by his middle name. His cover story for his time here was that hewas an independent contractor who was taking some time off.

"Jake-" I struggled in his arms, my face buried in his chest. "Can't. Breathe."

He immediately let me go. "Sorry about that. I forget my own strength sometimes." He grinned apologetically.

We started pulling the chairs down off the tables.

"So what does that mean for you guys?" he asked, curious but also concerned.

"A long distance relationship. We are going to try to see each other as often as we can," I said, the sound of my voice clearly indicating how little I was looking forward to that.

"That sucks." Apparently Jacob agreed with my opinion of the situation.

"Yeah, but he's worth the hassle. He's an amazing man, Jake," I said quietly. _And I want to keep him as long as I can._

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Okay, enough mushy stuff. What does Mr. Amazing have planned for your birthday tomorrow?"

I shrugged my shoulders as I righted the last chair. "I don't know. He won't tell me. I just hope he doesn't make a big deal about it. It's just my birthday."

"I'm sure whatever it is, you'll love it."

"I'm sure," I agreed. Jacob smiled and finished getting the bar set up to open in an hour.

The rest of the crew arrived about twenty minutes later while I was in the back storeroom getting cases of beer for the bar. I carefully rolled the heavy, beer-laden dolly to the bar. As soon as I rounded the corner to the main room, I was startled by a booming chorus of "Happy Birthday!" During the time it took me to load the dolly, all of my lucky-to-have-a-job employees had turned the bar into party central.

I groaned and covered my face with my hands before running into the sanctuary of my office to hide. I hated parties and I hated surprises even more. Angela and Jacob came in about a minute later to drag me back to the torture chamber.

"Come on, party girl!" Angela teased.

"I don't want to!" I pouted. "You know I don't like parties."

"Aw, it's only a small party and we'll clean it up before we open. Promise," Jacob pleaded, his eyes dancing despite my aggravation.

I caved; continuing to argue would only hurt their feelings. "Fine, but I'm holding you to your promise, Jacob Black."

"Scout's honor!"

Too bad Jacob was never a boy scout.

Everyone cheered as I came out of my office. A small cake and a modest pile of presents were waiting on the bar for me. I had to admit, it wasn't as bad as it first looked. At least the whole place wasn't covered in balloons and crepe paper.

Angela whispered in my ear as we approached the bar, "Since Anthony is stealing you away tomorrow; we wanted to have our own party for you today." I smiled and gave her a quick hug.

I sat down at the bar and everyone crowded around me, handing me their gifts. Thankfully, no one went nuts. I hated the idea of people spending their money on me, especially if that money was earned from working for me. Angela got me some nice picture frames for the mantle in my living room. Jacob gave me a hand-carved Quileute wolf statue. When I opened Jessica's gift, I wanted to kill her. She decided to buy me two, seeming innocuous gifts: a copy of _Eclipse_, Edward's blockbuster movie from last year and Edward's first CD, _Don't Think_.

I laughed nervously, "Thanks Jessica."

One of the other girls commented after seeing the covers of Jessica's gifts, "Wow, I never realized how much Anthony looks like Edward Cullen!"

I really wanted to wring Jessica's stupid little neck. "Yeah," I tried to shrug it off, "he says he gets that a lot from people."

"I bet," Jessica replied dryly.

"Anyway," I said, ignoring Jessica. "Thank you, everyone for your gifts."

I got a smattering of 'you're welcome' and 'happy birthday' as we cut the cake. The cake was a nice sugar rush to propel us through the day. There was no other forms of excitement, no other surprises for me to worry about for the rest of the evening. My mind was elsewhere most of the night thinking about my wonderful morning with Edward, worrying about his plans for my birthday tomorrow, and worrying about his leaving.

------------------

I pulled into my driveway several hours earlier than normal. At the stroke of midnight, Angela and Jacob kicked me out of my own bar, stating that it was now my birthday so I should go out and enjoy it. Jacob had to practically carry me out to my truck. I felt bad because this would mean that Angela and Jacob would have to close up for two days, instead of just one. They were going to close up tomorrow night as it was since I took that night off for my birthday, but they wouldn't take no for an answer.

I shut the engine off and gathered my stuff. Edward's Volvo was parked next to mine. It looked like it hadn't moved all day. Thinking about Edward made my cheeks burn as I thought of how our morning went. Ideas started floating through my mind as I considered ways to continue where we left off.

As I walked in the house, I heard music softly playing from the stereo. Most of the lights were off in the house. The only light I could see was a soft dim light coming from the living room. _Maybe he's setting the mood, thinking about where we left off too._ My body tingled with anticipation. I set my purse, keys, and the bag of birthday presents down on the hallway table as I approached the living room.

Edward was sitting on the couch, Indian style, intently reading something in his lap. He had a pencil in his hand, hovering over what he was reading. I could see his lips moving silently as he read to himself. He ran his other hand through his messy bronze hair.

"Hi" I said softly, leaning against the frame of the living room entrance.

Edward jumped, startled, and dropped his pencil. He looked up at me and smiled crookedly. "Hi."

I walked over and sat next to him on the couch. My hands itched to touch him all over but I settled with taking his hand in mine. The simple touch made me shiver. I could feel warmth emanating from our clasped hands. Edward leaned over and kissed me chastely on the check.

"You're home early," he observed.

"Angela and Jacob kicked me out as soon as it hit midnight. They said that it was now officially my birthday so I should go out and enjoy it."

"That was nice of them," Edward murmured. Something flickered in his eyes, but was quickly hidden. "Well, then, happy birthday, Bella."

He looked at me again, his emerald eyes smoldering with glowing warmth. He took his free hand and cupped my chin. Before I could respond, he crushed his lips against mine. This was the exact opposite of the peck he had just given me when I sat down. His hand moved from my chin to the back of my neck, pulling me closer to him. As he leaned towards me, whatever he was reading fell to the floor. My attention was too fully on Edward and his lips to investigate. He had my nerves on fire. I released his hand so I could bury both of mine in his hair. He moaned softly against my lips as I hooked a leg around his hip. I felt his arm snake around my waist and pull me into his lap so I was straddling him on the couch. He continued to kiss me, trailing his soft, smooth lips up and down my neck. I shivered as he kissed the soft spot behind my ear.

If I wasn't on fire before, I certainly was now. I didn't want this to stop. The feel of him beneath me was almost too much for my wavering self-control. I never had such an emotional and intellectual connection with a man before and I didn't want to jump into a physical relationship too soon. I had seen too many of my friends' relationships destroyed because they became so dependent on sex that after awhile, the relationships burned themselves out and unraveled. Admittedly, I was also nervous about being intimate with Edward. I didn't have a lot of experience and while Edward didn't seem promiscuous, he was surrounded on a daily basis by women much more experienced than I. He had told me there was no comparison that no woman could ever hold a candle to me, but I still wanted to be good. Hell, I wanted to be better than good. I wanted to be the best thing ever. My lack of experience made that seem unlikely. So I remained a coward and didn't push things with Edward. Surprisingly, he seemed to want to wait too. I was thankful that he wanted something more meaningful than just a physical relationship. I sensed that there was more to his wanting to wait than just that, but it was enough for me and I didn't press for further details.

Edward's soft touches brought me back to the present. His hand that wasn't wrapped around my waist ran up and down my back and my side. I hissed as his fingers brushed a sensitive spot on my shoulder blade. Edward smiled against my lips as he heard my reaction. He pulled away, just enough to be able to look at my face. His eyes burned deep and dark, and his breathing was just as ragged as mine.

"Why did you stop?" I gasped. Every cell of my body protested the lack of Edward's lips and hands touching me.

He trailed a finger down the line of my jaw. "I wanted to look at you."

I rolled my eyes impatiently. "Well now you have looked at me, so...." I leaned in to resume kissing him. As my lips touched his again, I reached down to the hem of his t-shirt. Instead of trying to remove it like I did that morning, I contented myself with putting my hands under his shirt and being able to touch his bare chest.

I felt his stomach muscles clench the second my fingertips touched the skin of his abdomen. Edward's breath hitched as he whispered my name against my lips. My hands roamed under his shirt feeling every one of his lean, toned and sculpted muscles. I continued to explore his chest, dragging my fingers through the soft curls of his chest hair. His back muscles flexed as I ran my hands over them. The heat of his body traveled up my arms into my chest and spread throughout my whole body. I felt like I could start a forest fire just by existing here with him. A part of me was surprised the couch didn't spontaneously combust. All the while, our lips never left each others except when the need to breathe became too strong to ignore.

My self-control was really wearing thin now. I was about to drag Edward off to my bedroom and finish this before I exploded. He drifted down to kiss my neck. My lips burned for his so I pulled his face up to mine and kissed him eagerly, tracing his lips with my tongue. He did not resist at all and growled deep in his chest as he fisted his hands into my hair.

The feel of his hands tugging my hair made me reach my bursting point. I tore myself from Edward's embrace and started to pull him up with me. When my feet made contact with the floor, one of my feet touched something smooth and cool to the touch. Edward steadied me before I completely lost my balance.

"What's this?" I reached down and picked up the bound stack of paper.

Edward plopped back down on the couch and ran his hand through his hair. "It's the script for my new movie." He looked nervous all of a sudden.

I sat back down next to him. "Oh." The spell was broken. I started flipping through some of the pages, not really looking at any of the words. "When did you get this?" I just stupidly realized that this was what he had been reading so intently when I came home.

"Earlier today. My manager, Marcus, flew in to drop the script off," Edward said, starting to fidget.

"Flew in? Wouldn't it have been easier to just mail it?"

"It would, but he wanted to hand-deliver it. Marcus wanted to make sure I was really going to come back to LA." His eyes flickered to the coffee table. My gaze followed.

An airline ticket sat on the table, taunting me. My eyes filled with tears. I tried to fight them from falling. Seeing the movie script and the plane ticket made the fact that Edward was leaving undeniably real now. I was starting to lose my fight with my emotions.

I steadied myself before I spoke. "Is Marcus still here?" My voice shook a little but not as bad as I thought it would. I set the script down next to the airplane ticket.

"No, he was only here for a few hours." Edward's eyes locked with mine, his gaze full of sadness and something else I could not define, almost like fear or anxiety. "Bella..." he trailed off as he tried to find the right words.

I sighed and balled my hands in my fists. Here he was pushing me away again. I could feel the tension rolling off him. It was such a sudden change from the mood we shared a moment ago.

"What is it Edward?" I wanted to take his hand, but I did not want to distract him.

"Bella, we need to talk."

My heart skidded to a stop. Those were the words anyone in a relationship never wanted to hear. Before I could stop it, my first thought was that he was going to break things off with me before he left so he wouldn't feel obligated to come back. My insecurities about how he could possibly love me when there were so many beautiful and better women out there fueled those thoughts. I tried to keep all those horrible ideas down. They could not be true. Edward loved me. He felt that spark between us.

Edward seemed to understand where my thoughts were going. He reached over and clasped my hands in his large ones. He looked worried but hopeful. I got the feeling he was desperately wanting me to understand and accept what he was about to tell me.

"Bella, I love you so much. Don't ever forget that. You are everything to me."

I smiled weakly as he continued.

"When Marcus was here earlier today, we discussed several things, some of which included us. He brought up a point that I can't believe I never thought of myself, something that he made me realize." He unrolled my bunched up fingers and wove them between his fingers. "When I go back to LA, the media and paparazzi are going to be all over me. Marcus told me that they have been buzzing around all the places I normally go to see if anyone knows where I have been. And they know my movie starts filming next week so I'm sure LAX and the surrounding airports will be well covered. This was the same exposure, as well as the crazed fans, that nearly broke me before and what caused me to run out of my Odeon show."

He cradled my face in one of his hands, still keeping his other hand wrapped around mine. "But now, I feel I can handle it because I have you. Now I have one person out there who truly knows me and loves me, not the public version that is gossiped and talked about, but the real Edward Cullen. You have become my rock, my center. I feel like I can take on anything that comes now."

"That's great Edward. I'm very glad that you are able to rise above all that insanity now that you don't have to bury yourself in a bottle to get through the day." I smiled at him but I was still puzzled. I wasn't sure where he was going with this. He was definitely not pushing me away as I thought, but I was still confused. The seriousness of his tone when he said we needed to talk didn't match the current tone of our conversation.

Edward continued, dropping his hand from my face to his lap. "Eventually, no matter how careful and private we try to be about our relationship, the media and paparazzi will find out about us, about you. And they will do everything they can to find out who you are and where you live and everything they can about you. They will not be merciful. They will try to make contact with anyone that might know you: your father, your friends, co-workers, anyone they can to get anything newsworthy. One minute it will be life as normal, the next minute you won't be able to go to the grocery store without a camera in your face and being hounded with questions, even here in Vermilion. The curiosity over a celebrity's personal life is voracious, especially when the significant other is a non-celebrity. I signed up for this kind of thing when I decided to be an actor. You did not. I don't want to put you through this. I love you too much to want you to have to deal with this."

My face drained of color as his words sunk in. I imagined my life surrounded by cameras and invasive questions. I would be the center of attention, which I hated. I suddenly remembered a video clip I saw awhile ago of Edward walking down the street in LA, surrounded by cameras and being interrogated by the photographers. He looked miserable. _Can I really deal with that?_ My mind continued and pictured Edward and I walking down that same street together, surrounded by those same video cameras and photographers, being asked a bajillion questions. Together it didn't seem to be as bad. But he wouldn't be there every time, not when I was here. _Can I handle that without him?_

_Wait, he said 'I don't want to put you through this'…is he trying to break up with me? Is he doing this to try to protect me? Can I handle _**_this_**_ without him? _That sentence now had a completely different meaning as I thought about life here without Edward in it. The tears I had been fighting before came back full force. Nothing could stop them as they fell down my cheeks.

Edward watched me nervously. He reached up and wiped my tears away with the pad of his thumb. "Tell me what you are thinking," he begged. His heart was in his eyes, full of hope, full of fear.

I took a deep, shuddering breath. "Are you breaking up with me?" I blurted out.

His eyes widened in shock. "What? No! Why would you think that? Why? Do you want to break up with me?" He took a quick breath before continuing, before I could even respond. "I mean, I would understand if you wanted to break things off. Who would want to deal with the paparazzi if they had another choice? I just don't-"

"Edward." I cut off his rambling. Edward's eyes were huge with anxiety as one of his hands nervously combed through his hair. "I do not want to break up with you. I just don't understand. You said 'I don't want to put you through this.'"

He nodded but still seemed confused.

I held his gaze as I continued. "I thought you were trying to nicely break up with me to spare yourself having to come back or to protect me from the stress of the paparazzi."

He shook his head in disagreement. "I was giving you an out. I can't break up with you; you are a part of me now. But I couldn't knowingly put you through the media circus without warning you and letting you bow out gracefully, if that is what you wanted."

Edward's mesmerizing green eyes seemed brighter than normal. I touched his face carefully, letting my fingers trail across his cheek and along his jaw. One finger ran across his lips, relishing the soft suppleness found there. Edward's eyes closed as he hummed with pleasure. My hand cupped his cheek as I look at this handsome but conflicted man before me. Slowly he opened his eyes and his gaze traveled all over my face.

I took a deep breath to steady myself. "I love you, Edward." The expression on his face lightened and his anxiety started to disappear. "I can only imagine what it is like to deal with that kind of insanity that the paparazzi bring. I have to be honest, it does scare me a lot, but I'm willing to try to deal with it. I've never felt like this with anyone before and I don't want to give up on it now. I can deal with all the photographers and the paparazzi as long as I have you."

Hope blazed across his face.

"But what about when I'm not here? Eventually they will find you out here."

I smiled at him warmly. "It helps when your father is the chief of police. If the paparazzi start to hassle me too much, my dad can help me." I could see my father sending me crates of police -grade pepper spray. It made me giggle.

Edward's face broke into a huge smile that lit up the room. He took my face in his hands and kissed me squarely on the lips. When he let me go, he reached for my hands and squeezed them gently. "You have no idea how happy you have made me, Bella. I was so worried that the whole paparazzi thing would scare you off, especially since you saw how I was when I first arrived here."

I shook my head. "That was before you had me to help you," I teased.

"I would agree with that." He kissed me again, ecstatic that we had passed another hurdle. "Come on, time to sleep. We have a big day planned for tomorrow. I heard it was someone's birthday!"

I was still hoping to finish things off after two really great starts and possibly to distract him from any birthday talk or plans. "Mmmm, can we sleep later, Edward?" I smiled at him wickedly.

Edward chuckled, desire briefly flashing in his eyes. "Patience is a virtue, love." He stood up and reached for my hand.

"I don't want to be patient," I mumbled as I took his proffered hand and rose from the couch. My body seemed to agree with Edward however, and I couldn't fight off a yawn. "Fine, you win this round. Next time I may not be so easy to fend off." I shuffled towards the bedroom.

"Duly noted." He tried to look appropriately scared at my threat, but it didn't work.

"Some actor you are," I teased, my eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, well, sometimes all I am is just a pretty face." Edward sighed melodramatically, his lips curving into my much loved crooked smile.

**A/N Please Review!**


	10. Chapter 10: Birthday Wishes

**************A/N Special thanks to my betas HEAR and Sirenastarot through PTB. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**A few of you may think "Hey, I read this chapter already"... if you read the update for Chapter 9 the minute it was posted, than you probably did. In my eagernes to post Chapter 9, I accidently uploaded Chapter 10 instead of Chapter 9. So if this chapter looks a little familiar, roll back and read the real Chapter 9: Declarations. **

**Chapter Ten: Birthday Wishes**

**EPOV**

Today was Bella's birthday. I sat at her computer trying to come up something suitable to celebrate the day. I wanted to take her to the fanciest restaurant and buy her something worthy of her beauty and kindness. But I knew that Bella didn't like to be fussed over or have a lot of money spent on her. She didn't feel worthy of such things, which made her the most worthy of all. In the past month, I'd wanted to take her out to dinner, or more realistically, out to breakfast or lunch so many times, but she would always try to talk me out of it. I had only been able to get her to agree to any kind of actual date-like event a couple of times. So, despite being crazy in love with each other, we had only been on two actual dates. I had so much hope her birthday would be number three. It's silly, really, to be concerned about it_. I sleep every night next to her, yet I'm worried about the actual number of dates._ I laughed at myself. The third date was always considered the crucial one where a person decides if he or she wants to continue to date that person and how physical the relationship will be. I could definitely say that I wanted to continue to see Bella. In fact, I couldn't wait to introduce her to my family. That was not going to be such an easy feat when my life was going to have a very solitary focus across the country for the next few months.

I looked at the list of restaurants in the area again on the computer screen. There was this little, intimate French restaurant right in Vermilion called _Chez François_. It was right on the river and had a great view. I drooled a bit, imagining Bella dressed up in a sexy cocktail dress. I was pretty certain her reaction would be quite the opposite. She abhorred dressing up or any kind of frou-frou business. She was feminine enough in her own right, just not girly.

I would not drag her to a fancy restaurant on her birthday, but hopefully I could get her to go to one eventually, maybe in LA. I smiled thinking of her coming to visit me. I would be able to show her some of my favorite places -- where I found the best mushroom ravioli, where I go to think, to get away, and my own small version of home. There I could play my piano for her. My heart warmed with the idea. I pictured myself sitting at my piano, my hands stroking the keys while Bella sat next to me. And after I played for her, my hands would lead her into my bedroom where I would finish the composition. I shivered and tried to regain my focus.

"Focus. Birthday. Bella," I said to myself. _Only the truly crazy people talk to themselves. Guess I'm pretty crazy. _My imagination regretfully dropped the fantasy that was running wild in my head. _Crazy for the girl._

The _Chez François i_dea was tossed and I kept surfing the Internet for more inspiration. I had the entire evening planned out, only drawing a blank when it came to deciding on a restaurant. I was scrolling through a local community website when I came across something interesting.

"Aha!" I declared.

I clicked on the link and scanned the information that popped up. Eagerly, I scribbled down the location and a few key details. Once I was done, I cleared out my browsing history so she couldn't try to figure out what we were doing when I wasn't looking. My timing couldn't have been any better; I heard the shower shut off in Bella's bathroom. _Perfect._

I stood up and stretched lazily. Today was going to be a good day. I walked into the kitchen to clean up our breakfast dishes. Bella walked softly into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around me in a backwards hug. I could smell her strawberry shampoo and freesia body wash as she rested her head on my back.

"Happy Birthday, love," I murmured as I finished washing the last dish.

"So what is on the agenda today?" Bella asked. Her voice was slightly muffled by my t-shirt.

I wiped my hands off on a dishtowel and turned to face her, being careful not to break out of her embrace. My eyes twinkled as I looked down at her. "Well, I thought we'd go to the mall-"

"The mall?" she broke in, pouting. "But it's my-"

I put a finger over her lips to stop her. "Then off to _Chez François f_or dinner." I was having a hard time not laughing. My lips twitched as I tried to rein in my smile. Her reactions were perfect.

She was really starting to get upset. "Edward! That's too-"

I interrupted her with a quick kiss. "Shhh, love. I was just teasing you." I lightly touched the tip of her nose with my finger. "While I would love to take you to a fancy restaurant sometime, I know you wouldn't want to go to a place like that for your birthday."

"So no mall?" she asked, hopefully.

"No mall." I kissed her forehead and wrapped my arms around her waist. My chin rested perfectly on top of her head while I enjoyed the simple pleasure of her tiny frame in my arms.

"So what are we really doing?"

"It's a surprise, birthday girl!"

"No hints?" she pouted.

"Nope!" I laughed again and popped another kiss on her lips. This was fun. "Let me hop in the shower real quick and then we'll be off."

After we were both dressed and ready to roll, we hopped into my Volvo and took off. I reached over with my right hand and took her left one, resting our joined hands on my leg. While I drove, I would steal glimpses of her out of the corner of my eye. Sometimes she would catch me and blush or I'd see her lips twitch as she fought off a smile.

We had been driving for about twenty minutes before her curiosity got the best of her. "Edward, where are we going?" She looked at me, pleading. Bella hated surprises.

"We're almost there, sweetheart." I kissed her hand that I was holding. She blushed again. I loved being able to do that to her and I would sorely miss that when I was in LA.

When I made the final turn, Bella figured it out. "We're going to the carnival?" she asked excitedly.

I nodded. "Is that okay? I thought it would be fun."

She grinned, her eyes dancing. "I love carnivals. I don't do Ferris wheels though; they scare me."

"Okay, no Ferris wheels. Can I try and win you a stuffed animal?" I asked, winking at her as we got out of the car. Before I locked the Volvo, I grabbed my Mariner's hat from the backseat and slipped it on.

"Aren't you supposed to when it's your girlfriend's birthday?" she teased back.

Girlfriend. I liked the sound of that. We had never really defined what we were. We were just together, that was it. To hear Bella refer to herself as _my_ girlfriend was pretty awesome. I couldn't help but smile. "I guess I am supposed to do that for my girlfriend on her birthday."

I wrapped my arm around her waist as we walked into the carnival. I paid for our tickets without too much of a protest from Bella. I loved the times we had alone at the house, but it was nice to be out in public too. And for me, personally, to be out in public and not being chased down by a legion of screaming fans or psychotic paparazzi was quite refreshing. As we walked around, I would occasionally steal kisses from her. Being a man, I had to admit I enjoyed kissing her in public. I was letting all the other guys there know that she was _mine._ Was it chauvinist and kind of caveman-ish? Possibly. But I loved her and privately enjoyed the jealous glances that I was getting from men and teenaged boys as we passed.

It was around lunchtime so I bought some corn dogs and steak fries for us to share from one of the vendors. Bella found a table that was out of the way from the majority of the crowd. School had just gotten out for the day so the carnival was full of teenagers. It was too hard to eat, talk, and walk with the amount of people around and not make a mess all over ourselves. Bella managed to get ketchup all over her face from her corndog. It was adorable. She was a klutz even when she wasn't on her feet. I snapped a picture of her with my camera phone before she was able to wipe it off. She made me promise that I wouldn't post it on the Internet.

We started walking around again and Bella found a booth with the perfect stuffed animal as a prize. It was a plushy, bronze-furred mountain lion with green eyes.

"Please, Edward?" she begged, her eyes full of excitement.

"I never could say no to you," I replied, kissing her forehead.

The booth Bella chose was one of those baseball test of skill games. I had to knock over a certain amount of stacked old-fashioned milk jugs to get the prize. To get the mountain lion that Bella coveted, I would need to knock down a lot of milk jugs. I handed the booth attendant some money and got to work. I knocked down three stacks in a row before I missed one.

"Too bad Emmett isn't here," I said to Bella as she watched hopefully. "He'd win the whole damn booth for you."

She laughed and blushed at the same time. "I don't want the whole booth. I just want that mountain lion."

"And why is that?" I threw another pitch and knocked down a fifth set of jugs. I gave the attendant more money to rack the jugs back up again.

"Because it reminds me of you," she whispered and looked at her feet shyly, embarrassed.

I pulled her chin up with my free hand and gazed in her eyes. "Don't ever feel embarrassed about how you feel, Bella, or about us."

She nodded, her eyes shining.

"Love you, Bella," I said quietly as I tossed another ball at the jugs, knocking them down.

"Love you, too."

She rested her hand at the small of my back, one finger playing with a belt loop of my jeans. I did't think I would ever get tired of hearing her say she loved me.

Eventually after two more rounds of knocking the milk jugs down, I won Bella her mountain lion. She named him Anthony. She held onto that little plush lion so tightly I almost got jealous. I satisfied myself with keeping one arm around her waist. It was actually becoming physically uncomfortable to not touch her. Not even in a sexual manner, just that she had become such a part of me that to be away from her was unpleasant. _Friday is not going to be fun, _I groaned inwardly. _And neither are the months that I will be working on _Everything But.

We spent the next several hours at the carnival. Bella tried her hand at one of the booths but wasn't able to win anything. There were a couple of rides that we went on, the ones that just spin and spin and spin in circles. But mostly we just had fun being together. When it was getting close to six o'clock we started to walk back to my car. The second half of Bella's birthday was about to start!

Bella was inquisitive as ever, but I refused to budge on hints. When I pulled into the Midnight Sun, she looked completely puzzled.

"You're taking me to my bar for my birthday?"

"No, love," I said, kissing her lightly. "I am dropping you off for a little bit. I need to get a few things set up and if you see what I am doing, it will spoil the surprise."

Bella pouted again, but had an excited glint in her eye. "Okay, Anthony and I will go have a drink while we are waiting." She scooped up her stuffed animal and got out of the car.

"Hey, where are you going?" I asked as I quickly hopped out of the car.

She turned towards me, confused. "Did you not just drop me off here so you can go do whatever it is you have to do?"

"Yes, but you forgot something."

"What?" she looked around to make sure she had everything.

"This." I pulled her over to me and kissed her roughly. I ran my tongue across her lips and had the pleasure of feeling her shudder in my arms. Just as quickly as I grabbed her, I released her.

Her eyes looked a bit dazed and her lips were swollen from the rough treatment, but she didn't seem to mind. A slow smile crept across her face. "No, I certainly wouldn't want to forget that."

She made her way into the door, slightly wobbly, but without tripping. I returned to my car and sped away. My excitement over the rest of the night had me practically bouncing in my seat.

An hour later I returned to the bar. Gone were my jeans and t-shirt. I had traded them in for a pair of linen khaki pants and a blue short-sleeved button down shirt. I tried to control my unruly hair, but as always it had a mind of its own. As I approached the door to Midnight Sun, I was hit by a sudden bought of nervousness. I took a deep breath and walked in.

Jacob was at the door as usual. He did a double take when he saw that I was out of my usual jeans and my hair had been somewhat tamed. He whistled low in his throat and smiled, mouthing 'good job' as I passed. My eyes searched out Bella and she wasn't hard to find. She was sitting at the bar facing away from me, talking to Angela who was working as the bartender this evening. Angela looked up as I approached. I put my finger to my lips, asking her silently not to give me away. Angela's lips twitched as she fought a smile while talking to Bella. Bella never picked up on Angela's sudden facial tic and remained seated with her back to me.

I stopped about two feet from Bella's back and stared at her. She sat with her right arm propped up on the bar, her chin resting in her hand, as she continued to talk to Angela. Bella's long brown hair fanned down across her back, glossy and full. Her hair rippled as she moved slightly on her stool. I was finally close enough to hear what they were saying.

"I wonder what he is up to. It's been an hour already," Bella said.

"I'm sure whatever Anthony has in mind you will absolutely love it, Bella." Angela looked up at me again, her eyes twinkling.

"I hope so," Bella replied, oblivious to the fact that I was standing right behind her.

"Bella," I called, softly.

I saw her back jerk in surprise. She whipped around in the bar stool, her hair flying around her. I held up a bouquet of red Gerber daisies. "For you, my love."

Her mouth formed into an "O" as she looked at them then to me. "Oh Edward, they're beautiful!" she whispered. As she reached for the flowers, she realized her slip. Her eyes locked with mine, full of shock and apology. "I mean Anthony," she whispered a little louder. Bella buried her face in the blossoms and tried not to look as panicked as she felt.

I froze as she called me by my real name. I looked around quickly to see if anyone picked up on Bella's slip. Thankfully, Angela was the only one close enough to overhear and of anyone there, I knew I could trust her discretion.

Angela looked back and forth between Bella and me, her eyes furrowed in confusion. "Who? What?"

Bella cringed, her shoulders slumping. She kept her face down and her eyes trained on the daisies.

"It's okay, Bella." I leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I mean it. It's okay." She still wouldn't look at me.

I sat down at the bar next to Bella. Angela leaned over the bar towards me, her eyes suspicious. She looked over at Bella's forlorn face and frowned.

"What is going on? Why did she call you Edward?" Angela asked, whispering.

Matching my volume to Angela's, I answered. "Because that's my name." I held up my hand to keep her from interrupting when it looked like she was going to speak. "Anthony is my middle name. Most people know me as Edward Cullen."

Angela's eyes widened as she shot a quick glance at Bella. "_The_ Edward-"

I nodded and interrupted her again. "No one here knows but Bella. I'd like to keep it that way. Eventually, I can tell you why but now is not the best time or place."

Angela nodded with a knowing smile. "I understand. Thank you for trusting me, Anthony."

That's all I needed to hear. I could tell she was curious and wanted to ask questions, but she did not pry. I turned to Bella, who was still agonizing over what happened. "Bella, love, its okay."

"But what about the papp-" she whispered urgently before I gently cut her off.

"Angela isn't going to run to a phone the minute we leave. She realizes we need discretion. It was an accident, no harm done." I kissed the top of her head, enjoying her scent. "Now, come on. We have more birthday celebrating to do!"

Bella rose with her stuffed animal and flowers in her hands, but I could still tell she was beating herself up. I didn't have to be a mind reader to figure that out. She kept her gaze down at the bouquet in her hands. I cradled her face in my hands, gently tilting her face up as I brushed my lips across hers. Bella still wouldn't look at me. So I kissed her again, but with more pressure. Bella finally started to respond, melting against my body. I wrapped one arm around her waist as she locked her arms around my neck. The petals of the daisies tickled the back of my neck.

I wasn't aware of anyone or anything else in the world except my beautiful Bella in my arms. It wasn't until the bar patrons started to cheer and clap enthusiastically that I became aware of where we were. Bella stiffened as she came back down to Earth with me. She dropped her arms to my hips and blushed. I relinquished her lips but kept her cheek cupped in my hand, stroking her face with my thumb. Jacob rolled his eyes as he stood watch at the front door.

"I love you, Bella," I murmured quietly.

"I love you, too," she whispered, finally gathering the courage to look at me.

"Please don't ever hide your face from me. You are too beau-"I stopped myself. That word was forbidden. It reminded her too much of the assault. "Too gorgeous to try to hide away." Now I was the one who let one slip.

Bella smiled, finding the same irony that I did. "It's okay. Beautiful doesn't bother me like it used to do, especially when you say it. It's different when I hear it coming from you."

"My beautiful Bella," I whispered as I held my hand out to her. I kissed her gently as I brought her towards me. Before I got too distracted, I pulled away and gave Bella one of my megawatt smiles. "Time to go!"

"Thank you Angela!" I called out as we walked out the bar.

Bella stumbled a bit as if she were in a daze. My excitement grew as we approached my car. I led Bella over to the passenger side door and helped her in the car. Once she was settled, I walked to my side of the car and joined her. I could feel Bella's eyes on me the entire time.

"You changed," she observed, fingering the sleeve of my shirt as I drove.

"What? Oh, yeah, my clothes." I smiled sheepishly at her. "What do you think?"

I felt her gaze burn into me as she looked me over thoroughly, her eyes a deep, molten brown. "Blue is a good color for you. Why did you change?"

"I thought it would be more fitting for the rest of the evening."

Bella self-consciously looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a green tank top. I thought she looked great. Hell, she would look great in a potato sack. _Nooo… I wasn't biased at all._

"Should I change too?" she asked shyly.

"Only if you want to, love. You look great in what you have on now."

Bella looked down at her clothes again, considering. She picked an invisible piece of lint from her jeans. "If we have time, I'd like to."

"We have all the time in the world, Bella."

She blushed again.

We pulled up the gravel driveway to Bella's house a short time later. I helped her out of the car with a flourish.

"Such the gentleman," she giggled softly.

"Of course. My mother taught me well."

We walked into the house hand-in-hand as the sun began to set. Bella kissed me softly before she ran off to her bedroom to change.

"Meet me out back when you are ready," I called. I walked into the kitchen with her flowers to find a vase to put them in. After rummaging around in the cabinets, I finally found one and filled it with water. I attempted to arrange them in some manner but gave up and just left them as they were in the vase. _Alice would have this looking great in two seconds. _Finishing the arranging with a resigned sigh, I continued out to the backyard to wait for Bella.

I stood facing away from the house and watched the waves crash along the shore below. The sounds of the lake were very soothing and this had quickly become one of my favorite places to be. I was lost in thought about ten minutes later when I heard hesitant footsteps behind me. As Bella got closer, I resisted the urge to turn to face her. I wanted to cherish this moment for as long as I could; the calmness of the evening, the anticipation of seeing her and surprising her. Moments like this didn't come often and would buoy me when I was gone. The strawberry scent of her shampoo increased as she approached me. I finally couldn't take it any longer and turned around. A gasp slipped out from my lips as I beheld the vision before me. Bella stood with a timid smile and downcast eyes. Her rich brown hair flowed like silk in the slight breeze. A dark green sundress contrasted delicately with her pale, luminous skin. The thin material hugged her body as the breeze ruffled the hem of the dress. I was enthralled. She blushed under my gaze.

"Bella… you look… amazing. Absolutely beautiful." I was at a loss for words. She wasn't in anything fancy, just a cotton sundress. But there was something about how the wind played with her hair and the hem of her skirt, how the light from the setting sun reflected off her skin, the delicate blush that rose to her cheeks, that kept me completely and totally enthralled. I would remember this moment for the rest of my life.

I extended my hand to her, "Come. Dinner awaits."

-------

BPOV

I typically hated having anyone do anything special for my birthday. However, Edward had become the one exception. For the first time since I was a small child, I wasn't annoyed about being fussed over. I still hated surprises but Edward's surprises had been very pleasant so far. In another change of pace for me, I really cared about what I looked like tonight. He had always seen me in my work clothes or jeans, the perpetual tomboy. So tonight, I wanted to look pretty for Edward, like the woman I was and not just a tomboy. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks._ He's done it again, making me blush, and he's not even in the room._

I quickly tore through my closet trying to find something suitably womanly. _Pants, pants, and more pants! _I was getting frustrated. _I know I have a dress in here somewhere._ I kept digging through my rather boring closet until I found what I was looking to wear. Within a couple of minutes, I had changed into my one and only dress. I brushed my hair and my teeth and tried to calm my nerves. Not knowing what shoes would go with the dress, I decided to go barefoot.

I walked slowly out of my bedroom and looked around for Edward. I still felt a pang of guilt for my slip at the bar, but it seemed to blow over quickly. Angela was a lifesaver. I knew she would keep Edward's secret to herself. Padding into the kitchen, I smiled when I saw the flowers from Edward sitting haphazardly in a vase. It was hard to be upset when you had Gerber daisies to look at. They were such happy flowers. I took a deep breath, unsure of why I felt so nervous, and walked outside.

His back was turned towards me, his gaze out over the lake and the setting sun. The breeze ruffled his messy hair. I slowed down my approach so I could look at him more intently. His clothes fit him well. The linen khaki pants sat low on his slender hips, but they weren't too baggy, just loose. It looked like he wasn't wearing any shoes either. The breeze picked up and pressed Edward's pants into the contours of his legs highlighting his lean muscles. His shirttail obscured the view of his perfect backside. I was disappointed. My eyes roved upwards, seeing how the blue fabric of his shirt moved with him as he shifted his weight. Edward was by far the most handsome man I had ever met and one of the kindest.

I stopped a few feet from him as he turned to face me. His green eyes deepened as his gaze drank me in, stunned. I felt naked as a breeze came and blew through the thin cotton fabric of my dress. I shivered from the breeze and goosebumps sprang up all over my arms. His gaze wasn't helping this feeling at all which made me blush again.

"Bella… you look… amazing. Absolutely beautiful," my real life Greek god said. He looked speechless. Slowly he extended his hand to me. "Come. Dinner awaits."

I took his hand and only as we approached the stairs to the beach did I see what he had been planning. Small candles in little white bags were everywhere. There was a candle on each stair from the top of the stairs down to the beach. From the bottom of the stairs, candles formed a glowing path to a large blanket in the sand. A low table was next to the blanket with something on it that I could not identify at this distance. Larger open candles of all sizes were firmly planted into the sand surrounding the blanket and table. Everything on the beach was wrapped in candlelight. It was breathtaking.

"Edward, oh my God," I whispered, completely overcome. How could someone be this handsome and this romantic and be real?

He smiled his crooked smile, which made my breath catch. "I'm glad you like it," he said quietly.

We approached the stairs and I realized it would be difficult for two people to walk down them with the candles sharing the stair. Edward had a quicker and better solution than I did. Before I could speak, he swooped down and picked me up, cradling me in his arms.

"Edward!" I squealed, laughing, as I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder.

He grinned at me and kissed the tip of my nose. Edward walked down the stairs carefully, being mindful of the candles and me in his arms. When he reached the bottom, he continued to carry me across the sand.

"Edward, you can put me down now. I can walk," I teased.

He shook his head. "Nope, I like having you right here." He tightened his grip. I felt his warm, sweet breath across my face and it made my pulse race. He carried me to the blanket and gently set me down in the middle. He sat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. "Look," he whispered, pointing to the horizon. The sun was just starting to set.

"Don't you have just perfect timing, Mr. Cullen?" I teased.

"Good planning pays off," he replied, his green eyes light and happy.

After the sunset, Edward leaned over to the low table and reached inside the basket. I noticed now that there was something behind the basket as well, but it was too dark for me to identify. He started placing various covered dishes in front of us. Steam rose from a few of them. Edward's lips twitched as he tried hard not to grin like a fool. It didn't last very long. He was clearly quite excited. The last things he pulled out of the basket were two wine glasses and a bottle of wine. He started pulling the covers off the dishes revealing a very tasty dinner. There were grilled steaks, roasted asparagus, a big garden salad, and little red potatoes with parsley. He quickly portioned out everything and placed a very enticing plate in front of me and for himself. Edward handed me a wine glass and quickly worked off the cork on the bottle. Before a minute had gone by, I was able to enjoy the bouquet given off by the delicate red wine.

Throughout the whole presentation, Edward did not make a sound. His ear-to-ear smile was a pleasure to watch. It was like watching a dance, each part smooth and graceful. Finally Edward stopped and gazed at me openly. He reached over and traced the line of my jaw with his finger. "Happy birthday, Bella," he murmured huskily.

I looked down at my lap, unbelievably happy, but shy at the same time. "Thank you, Edward." I looked back up at him and saw all the love he felt for me pouring out of his mesmerizing green eyes. "This is all so wonderful."

His smile got bigger. "You're welcome. You are worth every bit of it. Let's eat before it gets cold."

The food was unbelievably delicious. I had no idea how Edward got all the food prepared, plus set up the candles, and got cleaned up within an hour. He had to have help. But I was too happy to really care how he did it, just glad that he did do it. Men like Edward did not come around often. We talked throughout dinner. And like at the coffee shop that first night, we shared funny stories from our past. Now that I knew who he really was, he was able to tell me about some hijinks that went on during some of his movies. I almost choked on a sip of wine after one particularly funny story. Eventually we moved onto a more serious topic, us. We both had tried to avoid the topic of him leaving, but the elephant in the room could not be ignored any longer.

"I am going to miss you so much," Edward murmured. He caressed my cheek lightly. I closed my eyes and tried to lock this moment into my memory.

"I'm going to miss you too," I whispered. I couldn't look him in the eye. If I did, I would break down. So I stared at my hands that were resting in my lap and fidgeted. There was something I needed to ask him, but I was afraid of the answer. I decided to warm my way up to it. "How are you getting to the airport on Friday?"

"I was going to drive up there. I have to drop off the Volvo at the Enterprise rental counter in the Continental terminal."

"Oh," I responded, defeated. I thought furiously for a moment, trying to come up with a way around the problem. "Can you drop off the car at any Enterprise location?"

"Probably."

"Perfect!" I exclaimed happily. "There's an Enterprise in Elyria by the mall. We could drop the car off there and I could take you the rest of the way to Hopkins."

Edward grinned. "That sounds like a great idea."

Encouraged, I went ahead with the one question that scared me. "After you leave, when will I see you again?" I bit my lip as I speared a potato with my fork and pushed it around my plate.

He ran this hands through his hair nervously. Edward looked hesitant to answer. He signed before finally answering, "Unfortunately, I really don't know. The director hasn't provided us with a schedule yet. Until I get one, I won't know when I can come back."

My face fell.

"But," Edward continued, "he is known for getting things done as quickly as possible. He wants it right but doesn't want it to take all year either. Hopefully the majority of the work will be done by the holidays. I think the studio wants the movie completely done in time for release next summer. So hopefully shooting won't take very long so I can come back soon."

I looked down at my plate again and finally ate the potato I had been playing with. Most of my dinner was gone now except for a few potatoes which were growing cold. Edward's answer to my most feared question was about as bad of an answer as I could imagine. Hanging in this limbo of not knowing was going to be torture. I still doubted whether I was going to see him again once he left.

He seemed to pick up on the direction of my thoughts. "Bella, it will be okay. I'll see you again as soon as humanly possible. You are my life. I can't imagine being away from you. Unfortunately I am going to have to find out for a time. I love you so very much, my beautiful Bella."

Edward stroked my cheek. His touch always made me feel better. I still felt like I was approaching a pit of despair that threatened to suck me in. His touch kept it at bay, for now.

"Will you call me when you get into LA so I know you got there okay?" I asked quietly.

He looked at me warmly, a smile creeping onto his face. "Of course, and I'll call you every night when I get home from the set, if you'd like. Or, you could call me when you are done at the bar if you wanted. And we always have texting."

I really liked the idea of talking to him every night. It would help keep the bed from feeling so horribly empty without him. Sleeping without him next to me would be a challenge to get used to, but talking to him would help ease that pain. "I would like that. I will miss hearing your voice if we don't talk each day. I will miss you period."

Edward's face softened as he looked at me; what I said had pleased him greatly. He took our plates and set them to the side next to the basket they originally came from. He wasn't done though. Edward reached behind the table and pulled out his guitar. _Oh, he planned this quite well,_ I thought to myself, impressed.

Edward closed his eyes and began to play a soft, sweet melody. It was a song I had never heard before. Each strum of the guitar swirled around us. Then he began to sing. His voice on his albums was nothing compared to the velvet honey I heard now. As I listened, I felt soothed. The song was gentle and soft, like a lullaby. Edward finally opened his eyes and looked right into mine as he continued to play and sing. His eyes glowed with love. Even if I wanted to look away, I couldn't. The lure of his gaze was too strong. My skin tingled from the tumult of emotions that swirled around us. When he finished the song, I stared at him in awe.

"Edward, that... that was beautiful," I whispered. "What was that?"

One side of his mouth curled up in a smile. "Your lullaby."

My voice caught and my eyes welled up with tears. "My…?"

"Yes. You inspired it. You inspire me."

I bit my lip again, completely floored. "Edward..." I touched his face, trying to see if he was real or if this was just a dream.

His smile became more crooked, transforming into the smile of his that I loved most. "Happy birthday, Bella."

Overcome in so many different ways, I did the only thing I felt I could do. I reached out to him, grabbing his shirt and pressing my lips to his. I was filled with love and admiration and awe for this man, this angel with a kind soul, who looked like a god, and who wrote a song just for me. Edward set his guitar on the ground on the other side of him and enveloped me in his arms. Our kiss deepened dramatically. There was no other place in the world that I wanted to be than right there in his arms.

We eventually had to separate to breathe. He rested his forehead against mine as we panted. I was lightheaded but not all of it was from the lack of oxygen.

"Thank you, Edward. This was a great birthday."

"I'm glad you like it," he said roughly, before he took possession of my lips again. His hands ran through my hair, trailing down to my waist. Where ever his hands traveled, the fire burned, electricity shooting into me from his fingertips. I found myself lying on my back with Edward hovering above me as our lips stayed meshed together. My heart beat wildly in my chest.

Edward lay next to me on his side facing me with his hand resting on my stomach, his thumb gently stroking back and forth. "How did I get so lucky?" he murmured, almost to himself. He brushed a stray hair from my face before returning his hand to my stomach.

I didn't reply as I gazed at him, not trusting my voice at that moment. I rested my hand on top of his and watched them rise and fall as I breathed. This was heaven. I could have died at that moment and have been perfectly happy. _Well, _I thought, _I'd have just one regret._

"Edward, can I ask you for something?"

He seemed surprised by my question, but answered quickly and honestly, "Anything."

"Take me to bed." I said, choosing to tell him what I wanted instead of asking for it. The cat was out of the bag now.

Earlier this week, before he told me he loved me, I would not have had the courage to say this to him. Now his love gave me all the encouragement I needed. I still wondered how I could compare to the other women he had been with before, despite the fact that I was only assuming that he had more experience that I did. We never really talked in detail about any previous sexual partners, just that we had sex before. I desperately did not want to disappoint him and was afraid I would. Besides Jacob, I only had a few other partners. When things were good with Jacob, the sex was good too. The few others--not so much. I had become intimate much too soon in those short-lived relationships and the sex was disappointing to say the least. After dealing with some insecurities and a whole lot of soul-searching, I realized rushing the physical connection without cementing the emotional connection had quickly killed those relationships. After that realization, I decided sex would have to wait until there was something more. I hadn't necessarily thought that "more" would be love, but now that it was, I'd waited long enough. I wanted this part of him-- for me, for him, for us-- before he left… so I'd have it with me always even if he never came back.

Edward sucked in a breath as his eyes smoldered with green fire, his hand tightening on my stomach. I felt something hard pressing against my hip. He wanted me as badly as I wanted him.

"Bella," he choked. He cupped my face with his hand and looked at me intently. He had to take several deep breathes to steady himself before saying anything further. "Bella, I want you so much-"

I cut him off, "Then take me."

The normal shy Bella who never would have been bold enough to say something like this to someone had been replaced by a woman I never knew was inside of me. I genuinely wanted Edward but part of my boldness that night was spurred by the fact he was leaving in three days. I wanted what I could get of him before he left. A part of me wondered if the separation would be worse if we did this. We had been pretty much inseparable for the past month. We had created a lot of memories together. Would doing this make the distance easier or harder? I only had a couple of partners in my life and physical intimacy was never anything I rushed into with any of them. Would I regret this once he was gone? Would he respect me afterward? Would he come back?

Edward's emerald eyes burned now like never before and his breathing was accelerated. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. "You are making this increasingly difficult for my self-control, love."

I merely smiled at him and ran my hand down his chest, letting my hand rest on the waistband of his pants.

He took another deep breath. "Bella, I love you very much and want you even more. But, I want this to be perfect and to be at the right time. I don't want to rush into this just because I'm leaving. You are such an incredible woman and I don't want you to regret anything."

I was crushed. My face flushed from the rejection and I dropped my hand from his waist. I knew he said that he wanted our first time to be perfect and for the right reason and while I understood that and loved him even more for it, it didn't make the rejection hurt any less

Edward saw my face crumble. "Bella, please, don't be upset," he begged, his eyes full of pain. "I promise you, this is not a no, just not tonight." He touched my face tenderly and kissed my hands. "I want to do right by you. You deserve so much more. I want it to be perfect. Do you understand?"

I nodded but I couldn't look him in the eye. My body cried out for a release that was not going to happen tonight unless I took matters into my own hands.

Edward kissed my forehead and gently kissed my lips before sitting up. He reached for his guitar again and played. His music soothed the hurt while I watched him become absorbed in his task. Edward didn't play my lullaby again but played other songs, some of which I had heard before. His voice wrapped around me in ways I wished his body would.

Edward stopped playing after about an hour, putting his guitar away and scooting next to me again. He pulled me back against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. We sat there and watched the evening tide roll in. Stars twinkled in the clear evening sky aswe pointed out different constellations as we recognized them.

"I love you, Bella," he said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence.

"I love you too, Edward."

"I have one more surprise for you. Well, two actually."

"What?" I asked. I couldn't imagine what he had up his sleeve now.

Edward released me to lean over and pull two more things from the basket. One was a small square about four inches on each side. The other was a tube about nine inches long. Both were wrapped in shiny paper and had bows on them. He turned to face me.

"Edward, what is this? I told you I didn't want presents."

"You wanted Anthony, didn't you?" he asked wryly.

"That's different," I sniffed.

He laughed. "Fine. Just open your presents."

I took the square first and carefully tore open the paper. Inside was a clear jewel case with a silver CD inside. The only writing visible was my name written in black permanent marker in Edward's hand on the CD.

"What's on this?" I asked.

"Your lullaby and some other special music that you inspired. None of it has ever been released."

"I inspired…"

Edward nodded.

I was completely floored. This had to be the best gift I had ever received.

"Wait, how did you do this," I asked, holding up the CD, "while you have been here?"

"I have my ways," he said mysteriously with a wink. "Here, open your other present."

I took the tube from his hand and eagerly unwrapped it. It was a cardboard tube with caps on both ends. I took my dinner knife and pried off the cap on one end. After the cap popped off, I tipped the tube over and a roll of stiff Manila paper slid out. I carefully unrolled the paper. It was sheet music. "Bella's Lullaby" was written on the top of the first page. This was my song! The name and all the notes written on the music lines were all done in Edward's neat script. There were also words to the song written below the notes.

"That is the only physical copy of your song, Bella," he said softly.

My eyes were shining, tears gathering in the corners. The CD was just one-upped as the best gift ever. I looked over the sheet music, remembering a little from piano lessons I took as a child. Although I remembered how to read music, no amount of practice would allow me to do this song justice the way Edward could.

"Edward, thank you. This is just..." I trailed off. There were no words to express how I felt at that moment. I was so touched that he would write a song for me, but to record it and then pen a copy of the sheet music, just for me? Just for ordinary me?

"You're very welcome, love. I'm glad you like them."

"I love them," I corrected. He smiled happily. I leaned over and kissed him gently. "Thank you."

He wrapped me in his arms again and we stayed there on the beach until all the candles burned out. Neither one of us wanted this day to end.

**A/N For those of you who have seen RM and mayhap have thought the carnival scene from the movie was my inspiration here… let me assure you that this chapter was written last summer and was definitely not inspired by RM, just a nice coincidence.**

**In a totally unrelated bit of information… I have been advised by my beta/florist, Sirenastarot, that Gerber daisies are actually named Gerbera daisies but everyone knows them as Gerber daisies. So there's your bit of trivia for the day. LOL**

**And as always... please review! :) Reviews get teasers!**


	11. Chapter 11: My Dreams Flew Away

******************A/N Special thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Eleven: My Dreams Flew Away**

**BPOV**

The rest of our final week together went by way too fast. I had considered calling off work for the rest of the week so I could spend all the time I could with Edward, but I felt guilty the moment the thought crossed my mind. It wasn't fair to Angela and Jacob to pick up my slack. And it wasn't fair to Edward either. He needed time to study his script. So I suffered through work and tried not to look at the clock every five minutes until closing time. When we finally finished shutting the bar down on Friday morning, I rushed home and didn't care if I passed every police officer in Vermilion in the process. Angela told me to take my time coming in on Friday afternoon after I took Edward to the airport. She and Jacob both understood and were sympathetic, even if Jacob didn't know who Edward really was.

The last Friday morning was very bittersweet. Edward and I both felt it. We held each other's gazes longer, hugs and soft touches lingered. It didn't take him long to pack a small carry-on. Most of the things he bought when he decided to stay in Ohio would stay here for when he returned. I liked the idea of seeing his stuff here. It made me more hopeful that I would see him again, even if I didn't know when. I could still feel that pit of despair lingering in the shadows though, waiting to swallow me up.

Edward tossed his carry-on in the bed of my truck and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see you up there shortly." He hopped in his Volvo and headed out to drop off the car.

I followed behind him a few minutes later. I needed some time to compose myself. Seeing him drive away just to the Enterprise store was almost too much. But once I got in the truck, it got easier. Maybe because I was driving towards him, even if it was just to let him go. Each mile put him closer to his flight. When I pulled into the Enterprise lot, Edward was just finishing up with the associate by the Volvo. I kept the truck running and remained in the cab. I watched him run his hand through his hair before he shook the associate's hand. _Why is he nervous?_ He normally only played with his hair when he was agitated or nervous.

He climbed in the passenger seat of the truck and immediately took my hand. He held it quite firmly, like he was afraid I was going to disappear. Edward's thumb stroked my hand in little circles as I drove. Traffic started to increase as we entered the airport complex. Large amounts of traffic always made me a little nervous since I wasn't around it all the time. After ten minutes of driving, I eventually found a parking spot in the short-term parking deck. Quietly, I shut off the engine. We sat there together in the cab, neither one of us moving to exit the truck.

Edward squeezed my hand and gave me a reassuring smile.

"I love you, Edward." This was the first time I had said it first.

Edward noticed and his eyes melted with love. "I love you too, Bella." He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me sweetly. He sighed then muttered unhappily, "Shall we get this over with?"

I nodded, unable to speak for the moment.

Edward grabbed his bag from the back of the truck. I joined him by the tailgate, not looking forward to giving him up. He seemed to understand as he looked down at me with a little sad smile. He took my hand again in his and squeezed it. "I know, love. It sucks." He pulled out his Mariners hat from his carry-on and slipped it on. It was almost a crime to cover his amazing bronze hair. He smiled sheepishly at me, "Camouflage."

I smiled back. It did make sense. He was very identifiable by his hair. Covering up would give any media types a harder time tracking him down. I doubted that there would be any in Cleveland, _yet,_ but why make it any easier? We walked into the airport hand-in-hand. I tried not to let the panic overtake me as we walked. _He'll be back. He'll be back. He'll be back._

Because Edward didn't have any baggage to check in, he was able to use one of the electronic ticket booths to confirm his seat for his flight. His boarding pass printed and Edward tucked it into the pocket of his bag. We walked slowly toward the Continental terminal. I could only go as far as the security checkpoint. I so wished, just for that moment, I could go right to the gate with him like we were able to do before 9/11. Our time together now was not measured in hours or days or weeks but in steps. I bit my lip. I wanted to stop, grab Edward, turn around and run back to my house and never come out. But reality had other plans.

Edward looked down at me with watery eyes. "Love," he whispered tenderly. He trailed his fingers along my jaw and across my lips.

"I know," I whispered miserably.

He dropped his bag at our feet and rested his hands on my shoulders. "I'll call you as soon as I land." His thumbs rubbed my collarbone.

"Edward." My voice was hoarse. All of my longing and emotions were swirling just beneath the surface. I was trying to contain myself for his sake. Making a scene in public would not do either of us any favors.

"I'll miss you so much, Bella. And I'll be back here before you know it," he said softly. He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

My restraint was crumbling. One tear trekked its way down my cheek. He wiped it away.

"Be careful, Edward. I miss you already." It sounded lame to me but it was all I could say and not turn into a blubbering idiot.

He nodded, looking at me intently. Edward picked up his bag again and turned to join the line for the security checkpoint. I watched him through my lashes, not trusting myself to look up. I wanted to reach out to him but it was too late. I had just turned my back to trudge my way back to my truck when I felt a hand on my arm.

"Bella," Edward's voice was low and urgent. His eyes looked a little crazed. He grabbed my other arm and pulled me roughly against him. His bag dropped to the floor with a dull thud.

"Edwa-"

Edward cut me off with a searing kiss, keeping my lips completely and totally occupied. His hands buried themselves in my hair as my hands snaked up to his neck. I grabbed the curls that were exposed at the nape of his neck. The taste of his lips and his tongue was like nothing else. There was a certain wild desperation to the kiss that excited me and scared me at the same time, _like this was our last kiss._

Long before I wished, he pulled away and gazed down at me again, mesmerizing me with his eyes. He mouthed "I love you" as he took another step back and grabbed his bag. I held his gaze, letting all my emotion pour into it, hoping it was enough to let him know how much I cared about him, and enough to survive the time and distance.

"I love you too," I whispered.

He was far enough away that I knew he couldn't hear me, but he smiled when he read my lips.

He finally had to turn away when he approached the x-ray conveyor belt and metal detector. I watched him slip his shoes off and put his bag on the belt to be x-rayed. He walked through the metal detector without any issues. Edward slipped his shoes back on, got his bag, and turned in my direction again. Edward put his hand over his heart then pushed his palm out like a wave, sending his love through that gesture. He smiled his crooked smile again and my knees almost buckled. I waved and tried to smile. It probably looked like I swallowed something distasteful. Edward looked at me once more before walking further into the terminal. I watched him until he got too absorbed by the crowd for me to follow.

I woodenly walked back to my truck. The pit of despair hovered under my feet, just waiting for the right moment to push me in. My truck was sluggish to start, like it was feeling my pain. The parking attendant looked bored as I paid my fare, almost missing my hand as he gave me my change. As I left the airport, I saw a Continental plane take off and I wondered if it was Edward's flight.

I only got a few miles down the highway before the road became too blurry for me to continue. Carefully, I pulled over onto the shoulder while cars and trucks zoomed by me. My body rocked back and forth as the tears finally came. I sobbed, crying harder than I ever thought possible. I cried when my mom passed, but she had been sick and we all knew she was dying. It was more of a relief that my mother was no longer in pain. This was something else entirely. Here was someone I loved dearly that was leaving. I knew it was coming, but it still felt sudden. There was no relief here unlike my mom's passing, only more pain. I tumbled head first into the pit.

I don't know how long I sat there on the side of the road. My nose was stuffed up and my eyes were swollen and dry. I had no more tears to shed right now. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to think happy thoughts as I tried to climb out of the pit. I was startled out of my despair by knocking on my passenger door window. A police officer stood at my passenger door, tapping the glass with the butt of his flashlight. I quickly rolled the window down.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" the officer asked.

"No, officer. I'm sorry. I was just upset and thought it was better if I pulled off the road to collect myself before I tried to drive any further."

"Do you need someone to come get you?"

"No, I am better now."

The officer looked at me dubiously. I must've looked like a wreck. He turned to speak into his radio at his shoulder.

"Really. I'm fine." I tried to smile at him. I think it worked, kind of.

"Alright ma'am. But take your time. If you need to pull over again, do it."

"Yes, officer. Thank you for your concern."

"Ma'am," he said, walking back to his cruiser parked behind my truck.

I wiped my face with the bottom of my shirt and got back onto the road. About forty-five minutes later I pulled into the Midnight Sun. We had the typical Friday night crowd. _Good. It will be busy enough to keep my mind occupied. _As soon as I walked in, both Jacob and Angela took one look at my face and immediately rushed over to me.

"Hey, Bells."

"Hi, Bella."

"Hi, guys," I murmured. I was sure I still looked like hell. They both hugged me at the same time.

Angela gave Jacob a quick look as she steered me to my office. I tried not to notice the glances and looks from the people in the bar. She sat me down in the chair at my desk and firmly closed the office door. She leaned against the file cabinet across from me and looked at me sympathetically.

"Bad?" she asked softly.

"Very bad." My face crumbled and my shoulders shook.

"But you are going to see each other again, though, right? Didn't he tell you that a bunch of times before he left?"

"Yes, but saying it and doing it are two different things. Maybe when he gets back to LA he'll realize that he doesn't need me anymore and it was just a fling," I whispered. All of my fears were pulling me closer and closer to the pit again. I felt my feet slipping on the edge.

"Oh Bella, I seriously doubt that. Anyone can see how much Edward loves you just by how he looks at you. Anytime he has been in here, his only focus has been on you. God Himself could walk through those doors and Edward still would only have eyes for you."

"But our lives are so different. How could it work? How can we have a relationship when we live on opposite sides of the country?" Tears started streaming down my face again.

She rubbed my shoulder encouragingly. "If you want to make it work, it will. And he doesn't work all the time like you do. He gets breaks between movies and such. Plus he has the money to fly whenever and wherever he wants."

I tried to listen to what Angela had to say. She made sense, but I doubted I would believe her until I saw Edward again. I wanted to believe everything he said before he left. Why would he do such nice things fro me and treat me so respectfully if he didn't love me? He was always so attentive and his presents for my birthday were so sweet. I sighed sadly.

"Thank you, Angela. You've been a great friend." I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to collect myself again.

She handed me some tissues and a small make-up bag. "Here, you may want to freshen up before heading back out."

"Thanks again."

She nodded and squeezed my shoulder again before quietly slipping out of my office to give me some privacy. A few minutes later I felt I was more presentable and slowly made my way to the bar. Jacob gave me an encouraging smile from across the room and I smiled back. I tried to get back into my work as the night wore on. It was busy enough to keep my thoughts from wandering too much. I thought I was doing pretty well until a sound made me freeze. Edward's song, _Don't Think_ had started on the jukebox. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. When I opened them, I saw Jessica looking at me quizzically. Thankfully, she did not come to me to investigate. I didn't think I could handle her questions tonight. I turned and rested against the back of the bar and listened to Edward's song play. It reminded me of my birthday just a few days earlier. I couldn't help but smile at the memory.

I jumped when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I fished it out and my heart jumped for joy when I read Edward's name on the caller id.

I glanced at Angela quickly and held up my cell phone so she knew I was taking a call. I retreated to my office so I could have some privacy.

"Hello?"

"Hi, love." Edward's voice was just as smooth over the phone as in person.

"How was the flight?" I asked politely. The pit of despair that had been looming around me backed off a bit.

"Long but okay. I was glad to be off the plane. It's good to be home but at the same time I wish I was somewhere else."

"Where?" I whispered.

"Anywhere where you are, love." My heart skipped a beat.

I heard him speak to someone else near him, something about a car and a meeting.

"Sorry, Bella," Edward apologized. "Marcus picked me up from the airport and he is already telling me how little time I am going to have to myself this weekend."

"What's going on?"

"The director wants to meet with me in person. Probably to make sure I'm not going to go off the deep end again. Hopefully that means I can get my hands on a shooting schedule."

"Hopefully," I agreed.

"How are you doing, Bella?" he asked softly.

"I'm okay. The bar is pretty busy so it keeps me occupied."

I heard a commotion in the background again, someone yelling to get back.

"Sounds like you are pretty busy yourself there."

"Nah, it's just the paparazzi. They were staking out LAX. There are usually at least a couple here at any given time to see who is coming through. As soon as I was identified in baggage claim, they came out of the woodwork. Thankfully Marcus had some foresight and had some security ready to keep them back. As it is, you will probably be able to see me on _TMZ_ or _E! _tonight."

"I'd rather see you in person," I said quietly.

"I know, Bella. I wish I could be there or have you here with me. But I'll be there again before you know it. I miss you so much already," he murmured.

"I miss you too, Edward."

I heard the voice of the person Edward had been previously speaking to say something to Edward. I couldn't completely make out what he was saying with all the background noise.

"Bella, I wish we could talk longer, but I need to go. I need to talk to Marcus and a few others now that I'm back in town. Do you want to call me tonight when you get off work?"

"Alright," I said, disappointed that our conversation was going to be cut short so soon.

"I love you, Bella, so much. You haven't left my thoughts since I left."

"Love you too, Edward," I could barely speak above a whisper. I heard someone in the background shouting for Edward again.

"Bye."

"Bye." I closed my phone and my eyes at the same time. I took several deep breathes to try to steady myself. I was encouraged that he had called me, but he was off in his world now. Where was my place in his life among the lights of Hollywood?

I raced home after closing the bar. We were both pretty busy that night so we exchanged quick heartfelt texts throughout the night. I couldn't wait to call Edward again and hear his honey-laden voice. Knowing that I'd hear his voice every night was the only thing that was keeping me sane. Angela told me to call her if I needed anything. She said that she had gone through a long-distance relationship before and she knew what I was going through. That was comforting. Although having a long-distance relationship with an actor was a little different than a long-distance college boyfriend.

The house felt different without Edward there. It was empty. All of my stuff was still there, but it was still empty. I sighed. I tried to think happy thoughts to keep the pit at bay. It was always there, waiting. I turned my stereo on and put in the CD that Edward had made for me. Hearing his music and him singing helped too. I could almost imagine that he was still here.

I took a shower and slipped on one of his t-shirts, relishing the smell of him. My lullaby started to play as I walked back into the living room. I sat on the couch and closed my eyes, letting my memories from the past month come forth and sooth the hurt of missing Edward. Rejuvenated with his sound and his smell around me, I picked up my phone to call him.

It rang four times before going into voicemail.

His smooth voice sounded different in his recorded message, like he was a different person. "Hi, this is Edward Cullen. I am not available at the moment. Please leave a message with your number and I will return you call." This voice was remote and polished, not the warm honey that I had gotten used to hearing. My hand was shaking as I heard the beep prompt to begin my message.

"Hi Edward, it's Bella. I'm home, just relaxing before bed. Give me a call when you can. I love you."

I closed the phone and clutched it in my hand. I tried not to worry that he hadn't picked up the phone. It was about midnight in Los Angeles. Would he still be out this late? He was when he was here since I didn't get home until well past midnight. I wanted to try calling him again but thought better of it. _He'll call when he can. Edward hasn't been home in two months. I'm sure he has things he needs to do._

I stayed on the couch and continued listening to the CD. When I found myself nodding off I sent a quick text telling Edward that I was going to bed and wishing him goodnight. While I lay in bed, I clutched my phone in hopes that he would call. I dreamt of Edward pushing me into my hovering pit of despair.

I woke up the next morning and rubbed sleep from my eyes. It felt like I hadn't slept at all. I rolled over to snuggle into Edward only to realize he wasn't there. _He left yesterday, stupid. _The rest of my memory came back to me quickly. I found my phone buried under my hip and checked it for any missed calls or texts. There weren't any.

I couldn't believe it. He hadn't called me back.

My eyes started to get blurry as I felt the pit slide under me. I tumbled down, over and over and over into darkness of despair.

I woke up feeling a buzzing in my hand. I flipped open the phone without looking at the caller ID. I didn't want to hope. "Hello?" I said, my voice a dead monotone.

"Bella?"

I sat up instantly.

"Bella, is that you?" the voice asked, concerned.

"Uh.. yeah.. hi," I whispered, my heart raced.

"You okay?" Edward's beloved voice asked from the other end of the phone.

"Yeah, I think so." _Better now that you called._

"You sounded like you were dead there when you answered the phone."

"Um, sorry. I was asleep." _And I had felt like my heart was buried in the bottom of a bottomless pit._ _But there was hope after all._

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I needed to get up for work." I struggled out of bed. "How was your evening?" _Might as well get that out in the open_. I was still hurt that he hadn't called me back.

"Man, Bella, I'm sorry I didn't call you back. I didn't want to wake you up. I didn't get home until very late, even for LA. Marcus had me going from the moment I landed."

It's okay," I said again. I wanted to say that he could call me any time, day or night, but something stopped me. I wanted him to want to call me any time without me asking him. Perhaps I was being unreasonable. It was his first night back home after all. I picked at Anthony's plush fur as he rested on my dresser.

"Bella..." His voice held so much longing. I squeezed my eyes shut to try to keep the tears away.

"I miss you," I whispered.

"I miss you too, love, so much. Even when Marcus had me out everywhere, you were always in my thoughts. Marcus actually had to yell at me a couple of times," I could hear the laughter in his voice.

"Why?"

"Because I had zoned out thinking about you. He was waving his hands in front of my face calling my name. I think he was about ready to pinch me if I hadn't snapped out of it."

I smiled, I couldn't help it. "What were you thinking about?"

"Your birthday, when we danced that first night, the fair, everything from this past month."

I sighed and clutched Anthony to my chest.

"I know this is going to be rough and our schedules are not always going to mesh up well, but we will talk every night okay? You can text me anytime. I can't go another night without hearing your voice." His voice was husky, the velvet was rough with longing.

Somehow, this man had read my mind. Hearing his voice on the stereo was nothing close to hearing his voice over the phone. The only thing that would be better would be hearing his voice in person. I couldn't help but laugh at the craziness of our situation.

"What's so funny?" he asked puzzled.

"Just all of this insanity. I was so crushed when you didn't call me back. I felt like you really didn't want me after all."

"Bella, I truly am sorry. I didn't mean for you to take it the wrong way. It was bad enough leaving you but Marcus really had me running around like a chicken with its head cut off. By the time I got home, it was so incredibly late and I wanted to make sure you got enough sleep, so I waited to call you until now."

"I tried to sleep. I couldn't sleep very well without you here." The few times I did fall asleep last night, I had horrible dreams of Edward pushing me into the pit. I didn't want to share my dreams with him yet. It would not help anything right now. They would only make things more difficult.

"That makes two of us," he admitted. "I wasn't sure how it would be because I had only slept with you in your bed and you've never been here. But no matter where I sleep, it just isn't the same without you next to me."

I couldn't help it. It felt good that he missed me that much, that he was just as sleepless as I was. "Edward, I love you," I said suddenly.

"I love you too, my sweet Bella."

We didn't talk much more because I really had to get going if I was going to get to the bar on time. Hearing from him helped me crawl out of the pit, but I was still scared. I had to admit it, long distance relationships never seemed to work and mine was unusual to boot. There were too many distractions in Tinsel town and I was too insecure. I just didn't know a damn thing I could do about it.

Edward and I texted occasionally throughout the day but we weren't able to actually talk until that night after work. He told me about the meetings he had that day. First, Marcus wanted Edward to hire a personal assistant and had a few to recommend so the two men spent some time interviewing the candidates. Edward really didn't see the point of an assistant but Marcus said it would help him manage his time and events better now that he was being serious about his career. Then Marcus hauled Edward off to meet the director of _Everything But._ The director really did want to make sure Edward wasn't going to go off the deep end again, as Edward thought. He was also given a schedule but only for the first two weeks. He would be in rehearsals for the first week, then shooting the second week. Edward said the second week would be much more difficult because he would have to go in early to get in costume and make-up. I giggled, remembering the story that Edward told me and picturing him in the dress that he had to wear to school with a full face of make-up, like a Mary Kay commando. He didn't find it as funny as I did.

Edward was true to his word. We spoke every night and texted throughout the days. We talked about how our days were going and our thoughts and feelings. He told me about each of his co-stars and how curious they were about the girl that Edward always ran home to talk to every night. I tried not to get jealous when he told me about Tanya, who was his romantic interest in the movie. I had seen her in a few movies before. She was gorgeous. Edward's only comment about her was that she was a good actress.

He had flowers sent to me every Monday. Each bouquet would show up at the bar during the middle of happy hour. Each week it was a different kind of flower, although a lot of them had Gerber daisies mixed in the other flowers. The first time I received a bouquet from him, I was overcome with tears of happiness. I had to call him right away. The conversation was short because he was in the middle of rehearsal but I made it clear what I would have wanted to do to him if he was here. He had to step away from the rehearsal after we finished talking so he could compose himself. The flowers kept me going. They were a tangible sign of his affection. I took a picture of each bouquet so I could make a collage out of the photos.

September rolled into October. Our routine of texting, talking, and flowers stayed the same. I listened to my birthday CD almost every night. Anthony, the stuffed mountain lion, had become a permanent fixture on my bed.

It was about two weeks before Thanksgiving when things started to change. We still spoke every day but the conversations were getting shorter and he was calling me later and later. He said he was exhausted and sounded distracted every time. He would seem interested in what was going on with me but he would be vague or aloof about himself. Edward had never seemed so distant before. Sometimes I would call him and the background noise was so loud I could barely hear him. Usually he would excuse himself from where he was so he could talk to me, but invariably someone would drag him back to whatever party or gathering he was attending.

I asked him about the parties one night after he could not stop yawning. He replied that he was okay, not to worry, and that the parties weren't important.

"If they aren't important, then why do you go?"

Edward was silent for a moment.

"I just do," he replied defensively.

I dropped the subject, while realizing that he was slowly pulling away from me. I was at a loss as to what to do.

When Edward first left, I started watching the celebrity entertainment shows like _TMZ _and _Entertainment Tonight_ in hopes of seeing glimpses of Edward. A few times I did, but he was only ever on briefly. There was never anything scandalous about him. Most of the images that the photographers got were of him on set. After awhile, the novelty of looking him up wore off and I stopped watching. Now, that urge to watch was back. I was desperate for any sign of Edward that would explain what was going on, in hopes that I wasn't losing him like I thought I was.

After watching _TMZ _and not finding out anything, I googled Edward's name. I wondered why I had never done it before. I surmised that it was because I trusted him and didn't feel the need to read all the made-up gossip about him. It was there that I found out he had kept quite a bit from me, especially how well he knew his co-star, Tanya Denali. The links I found talked about how beautiful she was and all the men she had dated in the past, including Edward. Their romance was short-lived but intense. Some of the sites alluded that she was trying to rekindle their relationship now that they were in a movie together again. Those same sites also referred to a mysterious girlfriend that Edward claimed to have, but none of the sites put much weight on it because she was never seen with him or heard from. I grimaced as I read. I doubted making myself visible to these pariahs would help. They also commented that Edward hadn't done any one-on-one interviews since he had returned, just a few from on-set that didn't talk about anything but the movie. However, Tanya had. The particular site I was reading had the video of the most recent interview. The tag line described that the interview contained some juicy revelation about her and Edward's on-screen and off-screen chemistry and possible relationship.

I couldn't resist. I was like a moth drawn to a flame. I clicked on the link as I took a deep, steadying breath.

The interview was only from two days ago. I watched the video intently with the morbid curiosity of someone gawking while driving by a car accident. There she was, Tanya Denali, in all her glory sitting in the interview chair. She was the new bane of my existence. The only comment Edward had ever made about her was that she was a good actress. In her movies, she played a range of characters who were plain to those who were beautiful. In real life, Tanya was gorgeous. She had long, curly strawberry blonde hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a wide smile. Her skin was perfectly tanned like any proper California girl. She wore designer clothes and had her nails done. Tanya was everything I wasn't. She was Hollywood through and through. _How could I possibly compete with someone like that?_

The interview started out with basic questions about the upcoming movie. This wasn't the part I wanted to hear about. I just stared at Tanya, watching her gestures and mannerisms and her ease in front of the camera. Then the interviewer asked about Edward.

"There has been some talk about the chemistry that you and your co-star, Edward Cullen, have both on-screen and off-screen." Tanya smiled widely. "And you were seen a few weeks ago being very chummy with each other over coffee." Tanya nodded.

_They were out for coffee? A date?_ My heart started to pound and I felt my blood pressure begin to skyrocket. When I googled his name, a ton of pictures and stories came up, but I didn't recall seeing anything about him going out for coffee.

"So, Tanya, I'm going to cut right to the chase. Are you and Edward Cullen dating again?"

I held my breath as I waited for her answer.

Tanya laughed before she spoke. "Well, Amanda, we just click."

I felt like I was going to be ill.

"Eddie and I had such an intense relationship before," _Eddie? He told me he hates it when Emmett calls him Eddie._ "And now it's like we've started where we left off." Tanya giggled. She sounded like a sick hyena to me.

I felt the bile rising in my throat. My mind was running away with itself with images of just what her comments meant, of her and Edward in the most intimate of embraces.

"So no animosity from the break-up? It was a pretty public fight you two had at that restaurant."

"Absolutely not. We were different people back then. Eddie and I have grown and matured."

"Speaking of changing, did you have anything do with Edward's recent sobriety? He hasn't been out as much as he used to be and there haven't been any drunken episodes since he's been back in LA."

Tanya laughed again. "Maybe…" She winked wickedly at Amanda. "All he needed was to release some tension and get his mind off of things for awhile." The lewd way that Tanya spoke made it very clear just what kind of tension she had been helping him release.

I gasped._I_was the one who helped Edward find himself again, not Tanya. He said I was his rock. I was the reason he wasn't in the bottom of a bottle anymore. Betrayal thundered through me. My body began to shake as my blood pressure continued to climb. _Was all of our month together just one big lie? Why would she lie about this, especially on national television?_

"What about the rumors that he has some mysterious girlfriend out east?" Amanda asked.

My breath caught again as I waited for Tanya's answer. It felt like my very life hung on her answer.

Tanya shook her head, her long blonde curls flying out. "That is just a rumor. It was one of the things we talked about when we met for coffee. I wanted to make sure he wasn't seeing anyone." She looked at the camera full-on, like she was challenging the camera to disagree with her. I felt like she was staring right at me. _But it wasn't a rumor. _I squeezed my eyes shut briefly, trying to remove the image of Tanya from my mind. It didn't work. _I knew this was all too good to be true. _

I started seeing spots before my eyes as I realized I had stopped breathing. I took in several deep breaths that only seemed to bring in despair. I felt like this beautiful woman was ripping my heart out. Tanya ripped it out and Edward stomped on it within an inch of his life. I had heard enough of Tanya. Quickly, I closed the window that displayed the interview and tried to calm my breathing.

Being a glutton for punishment, I googled 'Edward Cullen Tanya Denali coffee' to see what I could find. The first hit was from another celebrity gossip site. The page loaded quickly. It had a short article and half a dozen pictures of Edward and Tanya together. I didn't bother to read the article and went right for the pictures. The first few were fairly innocent. It looked like two friends out for coffee. They were sitting across from each other at a small table in front of a large window talking comfortably. When I clicked on the fourth picture, I felt my ripped-out-stomped-on heart get shredded into a billion pieces. Edward had one hand resting on the tabletop and Tanya had her hand resting on top of his. The expression on her face was coy as she looked up at him through her eyelashes. A remote part of my brain idly commented that the photographer had a good lens to get such a great shot.

I adjusted my google search to just include Edward and Tanya's names. There were tons of pictures of him, from his concerts, movie premieres, awards shows, and other appearances. Quite a few of them included Tanya on his arm, both of them smiling ear to ear. Most of those pictures were labeled with the date so I saw that they were from when they were a couple. That made the images of them together a little better, but not much. As I looked, a tagline for a new series of pictures caught my eye. It stated that these were brand new pictures of Edward and Tanya, confirming their rekindled relationship. By this time, there was no way I could look away, so I clicked on the link and was bombarded by pictures of Edward and Tanya in a passionate embrace, their lips locked to one another like there was no tomorrow.

I sat there frozen, staring at the pictures as they burned into my retinas. My hands shook as I turned my monitor off. I didn't want to see the rest of the pictures nor did I need to see anymore. I tried to stand but fell back into my chair as my knees gave out. Edward was there, shoving me forcefully into the pit of despair as Tanya laughed.

I blinked.

I was numb. The fall into the bottomless pit left me cold and emotionless. I stood up woodenly and stiffly walked into the kitchen. After I unlocked the liquor cabinet, I pulled out a bottle of single malt whiskey. I didn't bother getting a glass and took a swig right from the bottle. Stumbling slowly back into the living room with the bottle in my hand, I flopped onto the couch and took another drink. I was so numb I didn't feel the burn from the whiskey down my throat.

Sometime later my phone rang.

I looked down at the caller ID, already knowing who it was going to be.

"Hello, Edward." I tried to force my voice to be normal.

"Good Morning, love." The endearment made me seethe.

"What do you have going on today?" I asked.

"The usual. We are finishing up some shots for the week so we can have the weekend off. Everyone is pretty excited to have two whole days away from the set. Plus we will be getting our next shooting schedule. Everyone always looks forward to seeing what we are doing next."

"That's good," I replied. "How have your scenes with Tanya been?" I wanted to give him the opportunity to tell me the truth.

"Fine. Why do you ask?" He sounded puzzled.

"Just curious." I wasn't sure what to say next. I wanted to call him out on the whole Tanya thing but I'd never been one for confrontation. Our conversation lagged into an uneasy silence. I stood up and started pacing.

"Bella, are you okay?" he asked me finally. I thought I heard some tenderness in his voice, but I dismissed it quickly.

"Just peachy." It was getting harder for me to keep my mouth shut. I felt the anger and fury of his betrayal bubbling up inside of me.

"Peachy? Love, please, tell me what is bothering you," he pleaded. The concern in his voice was just too much for me now.

"You KNOW what is bothering me, Edward," I snapped at him. "Or should I say, 'Eddie'?" I sneered.

"What? Bella, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and Tanya, Edward." My voice was starting to rise.

"Me and Tanya? Bell-"

I cut him off. The door was open and it was all coming out now. "About how you never bothered to tell me that she was an ex-girlfriend. About the fact that you two met for coffee and were holding hands a few weeks ago. About the fucking interview she just gave stating that you two were back together and she was the reason why you don't drink and that our relationship, yours and mine, Edward, was just a fucking rumor!" I took a quick breath before I continued. "That all you needed was to release some 'tension' and that she was more than capable of helping you do that!" I was shouting into the phone. Actually vocalizing the last sentence hurt me to the quick. He turned me down on my birthday stating that he wanted it to be special, yet he shacked up with his ex-girlfriend, well I guess his current girlfriend, as soon as he was back in LA. _I should've known this wouldn't work._

There was a long pause. When Edward finally spoke, his voice was low and confused. "What are you talking about Bella? What interview? We did meet for coffee but it wasn't like that-"

"I'm not stupid Edward, so quit lying to me! Did you really think I wouldn't find out? Come on, you are followed by the paparazzi all the time. Did you really think you could go on a date with your girlfriend without being photographed? It wasn't just the coffee either! There are recent pictures of you two making out passionately! I may be some small town girl, but I am not an idiot!"

"We weren't on a-- I never said you were-" His voice was starting to rise now as he stuttered.

"Whatever, Edward. I can't believe you lied to me." My voice broke, losing its muster. "I can't believe you stayed here with me and told me you loved me to just shack up with her as soon as you got back." I couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

"Bella, I DO love-" His voice sounded thoroughly confused, hurt, and angry. He sounded so sincere in his denial of his relationship with Tanya. A part of me started to doubt myself, that maybe he didn't really cheat on me with Tanya, but the pictures was there, burned into my mind and Tanya's voice confirming her relationship with Edward.

"Just stop the fucking lies, Edward! You can stop pretending now."

"Bella-" He cut himself off when it sounded like someone entered the room he was in. "Hold on a sec, Bella." When he spoke again it sounded muffled like he was covering the mouthpiece. "Um, excuse me, what do you want?" I heard a woman's voice. Edward's response was muffled, he sounded irritated but I couldn't be sure.

I heard the woman laugh and I instantly recognized that laugh. It was the same laughter of a certain strawberry blonde woman who was ruining my life. _No, Edward was ruining my life. It takes two to tango and he stepped on the dance floor._

Edward said something to who I thought was Tanya. I really wished I could hear what they were saying to each other.

The woman's voice approached. Then I heard a rustle of fabric, like the phone being moved across his shirt. I finally heard her voice clearly, "Oh Eddie, its okay. We have a few minutes before they need us on set again." Her voice sounded like she was right next to Edward.

Rustling came through the phone again as it was pressed up against something. Edward grunted and it sounded like he pushed something. It was hard to tell. Then I heard what sounded like lips touching and Edward's muffled voice, except it wasn't from the phone being against his shirt. I don't know why I kept listening. Maybe I needed this reaffirmation that he really was cheating on me.

I heard Edward grunt a second time and push something out of the way again. His voice was low again and cold. All I could make out was him calling her name. He continued but I was beyond being able to hear any of this. My mind locked onto the sound of the two of them kissing. I barely heard him pick up the phone again and talk to me.

"Bella? Bella are you there?" he said urgently.

I was bawling and the tears would not stop coming. I felt like a blubbering idiot, but I was a blubbering idiot for believing he loved me.

"Bella?" he asked again.

"Oh, why do you even bother, Edward?" I wailed. "Why?"

I hung up on him before he could answer.

I took several deep breaths while tears continued to fall. I looked down at my phone like it was an alien creature. Shaking, I threw it as hard as I could against the far wall of the living room. It shattered into several pieces and left a small dent in the wall. I collapsed into the couch and grabbed the bottle of whiskey. My vision blurred as my despair surrounded me. I took another swig from the bottle.

The world faded from my view.

**A/N Oh no!! Tell me your thoughts (and please be kind!).... **

**Reviews get teasers! :)**

**Special shout out to the awesome h00r Amydee who started a thread for BFTO on Twilighted. Come join the fun!! ****twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**


	12. Chapter 12: Despair

**********************A/N Special thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Twelve: Despair**

**BPOV**

"Bella?"

A voice encroached on my alcohol induced blackout. It sounded like Angela. _Why was Angela in my nightmare?_

"Bella, wake up!"

_No!_

"Bella!" The voice was more insistent and I felt a hand on my shoulder shaking me.

"What?" I croaked out with a groan, keeping my eyes firmly closed.

"Are you okay?"

I grimaced as I continued to wake up. The more conscious I became, the more I felt the jackhammers pounding away inside my skull and smelled a foul odor in the room.

"No. Go away," I muttered.

I felt a hand softly brush a stray lock of hair away from my face.

"Bella," the voice continued quietly, "what's wrong, honey?"

I finally opened my eyes and wished I hadn't. The light from the sun poured through the windows and seared into my pounding head. Angela leaned over me with a concerned look on her face.

"Everything," I croaked as I squinted from the light in the room.

She knelt down and slowly pried something out of my hand.

"Bella, did you drink this whole bottle?"

I looked over at the empty bottle of whiskey in Angela's hand. I shook my head slowly, trying not to disturb the army of jackhammers in my brain. "It was only two-thirds full when I started."

"When was that?" she persisted.

I tried to read the numbers on the clock hanging on the far wall. My vision was too fuzzy to focus enough to read the clock face. I gave up trying. "Earlier."

Angela let out a breath, slightly exasperated. "Earlier?"

I shrugged my shoulders. I really didn't know exactly when I passed out and I didn't really care.

"Why are you here, Angela?" The fact that she was in my house started to filter through my addled brain.

She looked at me strangely, like she was surprised I would ask her something like that. "When you didn't show at the bar earlier, we tried calling you, but your phone kept going to voicemail. It wasn't like you to not show up without calling or not answer your phone so I decided I would swing by and make sure you were okay. I was further concerned when your front door wasn't locked, so I hurried in thinking you were hurt and find you like this." She gestured to the slovenly mess I was sure I looked like. It didn't bother me as much as I thought it should.

I looked away. I was firmly within the misery of my heartbreak.

Angela sat down next to me. "Bella, what happened?"

My throat constricted. I couldn't say his name yet. My stomach tightened up in a cold knot as I tried not to think about the last conversation I had with him this morning. _What was I thinking? Our worlds could not co-exist._

I felt Angela hesitate, like she was trying to find the right words, before she spoke again in a whisper. "Was… was it Edward?"

My face paled as I nodded once.

"Oh, honey." She wrapped her arms around me consolingly.

I sat frozen on the couch. I felt dead. I didn't even know I was speaking until I heard my voice, rough and gravely, say the words I wished I could deny. "He went back to an old girlfriend."

"You talked to him… _earlier?_" She gently emphasized the last word, meaning that it was the same earlier when I started drinking.

I nodded again.

Angela sighed and then looked around the couch before turning to me again. "Bella, where's your phone? We should turn it on in case Jacob or your Dad calls you or something."

I gestured towards the far wall where the broken remnants of my cell phone rested; where I had thrown it, _earlier._

Angela shook her head sadly. "And here I thought he was different."

"Me too," I sighed as tears started to form again. _When will I stop crying over that cheating son of a bitch?_

Angela rubbed my back, but then pulled away quickly. "Bella, I'm sorry to say this, but you reek."

I chuckled weakly, "Sorry."

"We may need to rename you Jameson," she teased, gesturing with the empty bottle of whiskey.

I smiled despite my despair. "Let me get cleaned up and I'll meet you up at the bar." I wobbled as I rose unsteadily to my feet.

Angela steadied my arm. "Bella, it's okay. Stay home and relax. You've had a rough morning. We'll be fine."

I shook my head, groaning when it increased the pounding between my temples. "I'd rather not stay here all day alone with all these memories. I'm better off working."

She looked at me carefully before nodding. "Okay, but I'll take you. I don't want you driving. Go get ready and I'll make some coffee."

I slowly made my way to my bedroom and into my bathroom. I tried not to see all the reminders of _him._ I heard Angela talking on her cell phone before I turned on the shower.

"We'll be there in a little bit," she said softly.

There was a pause as she listened to who was on the other end.

"She'll be okay... eventually. It wasn't a pretty sight when I got here."

Another pause.

"Yes."

The spray of the shower drowned out the rest of the conversation. The warm water helped wash away some of my stress and tension, but none of the despair. My throbbing head eased as the shower massage my body but nothing could wash away my shattered heart or my broken soul.

I finally decided that I had been in the shower long enough when my skin started to wrinkle and the water turned cold. As I dressed, I caught a whiff of the clothes I was wearing earlier. They truly did reek of whiskey. I'm sure my body smelled even worse before I took a shower. I hoped I looked somewhat more human when I joined Angela in the living room. She looked relieved when she saw me and extended a mug of coffee towards me.

I took a grateful sip of the coffee. I would need the shot of caffeine to survive the day. "Ready?" I asked, with all the enthusiasm I could muster in my voice. Angela didn't look convinced.

"As long as you are," she replied, finishing her coffee.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Angela inquired quietly as we drove to the Midnight Sun.

"No, not yet."

She nodded, understanding. This was just another reason why she was such a great friend. Angela never pushed or pried. She was there when you needed her. I would tell her later what happened, once I had a better handle of it myself. Maybe after I had another bottle of whiskey in me.

My arrival at the bar was not what I was expecting. I figured people would be buzzing about me coming in late. Never once had I not shown up or come in late without making arrangements. As I walked in, everyone was going about his or her tasks like nothing was out of the ordinary. I was greatly relieved. Angela's phone conversation while I was in the shower must have done some good damage control. Of course, that just made me wonder what was said.

I retreated into my office to gather the rest of my wits. I was still a little unsteady from all the whiskey and the emotions from this morning. I sat down in my chair with a thud and looked around without really seeing anything in particular. My vision instead played back the night that _he_ saved me from the attack by Mike Sullivan. My breath caught as I saw _him_ punch Mike and Mike crumple against me. I blinked and I was in _his_ arms again, holding me off the floor.

"Bella?" I heard his voice, like he was walking into my office, but the timber of the voice was off... it was deeper.

"Bella!" The voice again. Wait, that wasn't Edward's voice. It was Jacob's.

I didn't turn from my chair when I finally spoke. "Hello, Jacob," I replied softly. "I guess Angela filled you in."

"Only that it was about Anthony," he said quietly, his deep voice rumbling.

I almost laughed. _Anthony! Ha! I kept his secret and he betrayed me._

"We broke up," I said simply.

Jacob frowned. "Oh jeez, Bells, I'm so sorry. I know how crazy you were about the guy."

"Yeah."

"Do you need anything?" he asked, kneeling beside me.

"No, there isn't anything you can do for me Jacob." I smiled sadly. _Besides erasing the last three months of my life._

He squeezed my hands in sympathy. "I know," he whispered.

I blushed, realizing he was referencing the pain he felt after our break-up so many years ago, and how he understood there really wasn't anything anyone could do to help mend a broken heart.

He stood up swiftly and gracefully, which was quite a feat due to his great size. "I gotta go back out there."

I nodded. I wanted to be alone for a few minutes anyway. After Jacob went back to the floor, I grabbed a bottle of whatever I had in my office and poured a tumbler full. I drank it down in just a few gulps. The burn of the alcohol was a welcome distraction from the pain inside. In a few minutes, the alcohol started to work its mind-numbing magic and I felt ready to try to face the world.

I took my usual spot at the bar and kept a glass of something strong nearby at all times. As soon as I felt my buzz beginning to dissipate, I drank more. I tried to ignore the concerned glances by Jacob and Angela. Everyone else gave me space, thankfully. Even Jessica, who was always dying of curiosity about anything remotely gossip-worthy, kept her distance. I eventually found out later that Jacob advised everyone that I wasn't feeling well and to give me some peace. He had to emphasize it more to some, namely Jessica, than others. It was not a complete lie. I was not feeling well at all, but at least it was not the kind of thing that was contagious.

The night was busy enough to keep me occupied but not so crazy that I couldn't manage with the buzz I had been nursing all night. I was one of those people who was a happy, flirty drunk. So having a good buzz made it easier for me to pretend that everything was great. Eventually, it was time to shut down the bar and clean up. Then it was harder to hide the pain. I dragged out each and every step, trying to prolong the inevitable. I was afraid of what I would do when I got home. I couldn't know for certain what else might break besides my cell phone before I passed out.

I was wiping the bar down for at least the tenth time when I saw Jacob and Angela off to one corner, talking quietly. In the past three months, their relationship slowly began to blossom. I was very happy for them. They were both good people and they deserved every happiness they got. The looks on their faces, however, were not happy ones. The occasional covert glance in my direction made me realize that they were not talking sunshine and buttercups but were talking about me. I supposed I should've minded but I didn't have the energy to care. After all, they were my friends. They would never be catty. They were just concerned about me. _Does it even matter anymore?_

Angela broke away from Jacob and approached me slowly. "Bella, if you wipe the bar down any more you are going to rub off the finish." She took the rag from my hand and waited for me to look at her before she continued. "Why don't you come and stay with me tonight? I have an extra room and I'd like the company."

I wanted to say no, that I wanted to go home and be miserable in my bed surrounded by my memories of _him_, but I really did not think it would be good for my mental heath to stay there tonight, alone. It was a small blessing that my room did not smell like him anymore. Two months was long enough to air things out and I certainly didn't want anyone else in the house with me. My pain was mine, but I could shrug it off and play nice for one night. Angela would feel better thinking that she was helping me.

If I spoke I would deny her, so I only nodded. A few minutes later, the three of us shut everything off and walked out into the parking lot. Jacob waited by me as I locked the door. When I turned to face him, he crushed me in a huge bear hug. I had to pound on his chest after a minute so I wouldn't suffocate.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I wheezed.

Jacob laughed. "No, sorry, Bells. I was just giving you a hug."

"Word of advice: Hug less!" I panted, still trying to get my breath back.

He laughed again and walked over to Angela to give her a goodbye peck on the cheek as we got ready to go.

The trip to Angela's place in Amherst was quick and quiet. She lived in a small apartment complex near the center of the small town. The first time I tried visiting her, I got confused at one intersection that had six streets meeting in the middle like the spokes on a wheel. Thankfully, she was a little more familiar with her neighborhood than I was and we made it safely to her apartment.

Angela brought me some clothes to sleep in and some towels for a shower whenever I wanted to take one. I thanked her and looked around, taking in the quiet warmth of her apartment. It was definitely Angela's place. It was feminine and light without being too girly. I trudged into the guest room and changed, saving the towels for a shower in the morning. I thought I should go to sleep but that pit of despair was just waiting for me in my dreams. I wasn't ready to meet it yet. Angela knocked on my door before peeking her head in the room.

"Hey you, how you holdin' up?" She sat down next to me on the bed.

"Been better, Ang. Been better," I said honestly.

She put an arm around me and sat there with me for a few minutes. She didn't pry. She didn't have to. I just needed time to collect my thoughts. After a few minutes, I took a deep breath to help prepare myself. "You got some time before you have to crash?" I asked timidly.

"I have all the time you need, Bella."

We sat across from each other on the bed, Indian style, like we were kids at a sleepover. I told her the whole sordid story from when he left in September until this morning. I threw in all my insecurities and worries and how they were now justified. Several times during my explanation her hand flew to her mouth, and tears sprang up in her eyes when I told her about the interview.

"Oh, Bella, what a horrible way to find out."

"Yeah, and the jerk tried to deny it all this morning, like I wouldn't find out."

"Do you think there is a possibility she was lying and he was telling the truth?"

I laughed humorlessly. "Oh I'm sure there is a possibility, but the pictures from their _date_ only confirmed what she said. I'm done with men for awhile."

She rubbed my arm and tried to smile. "It'll get better Bella but not from the bottom of a bottle," she cautioned.

"Yes, Mom." I couldn't help but laugh. She was right, the answer wasn't at the bottom of a bottle, but it sure made right now feel better. We talked for a little bit longer about other things until we were both yawning. Angela excused herself and I tried to relax enough to go to sleep. The feelings of heartbreak and despair slowly crept back and started to pull me down into their black pit.

I dreamt of Edward and Tanya again. I dreamt of them having sex right in the interviewer chair that she sat in when she ripped apart my world. I dreamt of Tanya and Edward lying on a blanket on my bit of beach cuddling like long-time lovers. I dreamt of Edward denying me, saying he didn't love me anymore while Tanya laughed at me mercilessly. I dreamt of blackness, nothing left inside of me but emptiness. I screamed.

-----

I woke up the next morning disoriented. I didn't recognize the room or the sounds outside. I smelled coffee, which was encouraging. As the smell of the brewing coffee wafted through my room, my mind continued to perk up and I remembered where I was. _Angela's._ Everything started coming back: Edward, Tanya, all the alcohol I had drunk in the past twenty-four hours. My mind started to spin again, the abyss of despair hovering, waiting for another chance for me to fall in. Suddenly nauseous, I ran out of my room to the nearest bathroom. I was violently ill for several minutes until all that was coming up were dry heaves. I rested by the side of the toilet as I flushed away the mess, my clammy forehead resting on the floor as I hoped for oblivion.

I didn't know how long I'd been lying there but I stirred when I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard Angela's soft voice. "How are you doing, Bella?"

I turned awkwardly on the tile floor and looked up at Angela's crouched figure.

"I've been better, "I murmured, grimacing at the foul taste in my mouth.

Angela handed me a damp washcloth and a glass of water.

"Thank you," I whispered.

I wiped my face off with the washcloth and drained the glass of water. It helped lessen the funky taste in my mouth. Angela pulled a few things out of a cabinet and handed them to me. It was a small collection of travel-sized toiletries.

"I'm sure you want to get freshened up a little."

"Yeah, I think I need to do that. I need to wash away some of this stress and madness." I gratefully accepted the handful of products.

Angela let me be for awhile. I gratefully brushed my teeth and rinsed my mouth out several times to get the last of the puke taste out. Satisfied that my tongue wouldn't dissolve from stomach acid, I stripped off my clothes and threw them in a pile in the corner. After I was naked, I remembered my towel was still in the guestroom. Angela must've been on the exact same wavelength as me because she knocked on the bathroom door, opened it a crack, and held out my towel. _Angela is a Godsend._

"Thanks, Ang. I just realized I didn't have my towel."

"No problem," I heard her voice say softly as she walked back down the hallway into the rest of the apartment.

I eagerly got into the shower and relished the spa shower head that Angela had. _I need to get one of those._ The hot spray massaged my back and slowly unknotted the tight muscles. I hadn't checked the time when I got in, but realized I had to have been there a good length of time when the skin of my fingers became wrinkled. Angela's apartment complex must've had a huge water heater. I finished up and dried off. Angela had a robe waiting for me on a hook on the back of the bathroom door. It was a deep, sapphire blue and was made from the softest terrycloth. I hummed in pleasure as I enjoyed the softness. My robe at home was similar to this but not as soft.

As happy as I could be, considering what my last twenty-four hours had been like, I padded out to Angela's kitchen. She was sitting on the opposite side of the table with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Another cup of coffee was sitting on my side of the table. I gingerly sat down and wrapped my hands round the warm mug. The heat from the mug eked into my hands and traveled down my arms, giving me goose bumps, but I was still numb inside. No amount of hot coffee could do anything about that. I took a cautious sip to gauge how hot the liquid was. The sip I took burned the tip of my tongue slightly. I realized with a start that the physical pain took away some of the numbness. An idea festered in my head. I could deal with the physical pain but dealing with the emotional pain was much harder. I became determined to put some of the emotional crisis behind me. I took several more gulps of the hot coffee quickly before I lost my nerve. I gasped at the hot liquid burned my mouth and my throat as it went down. I relished in the pain and focused on it, pushing away the painful numbness of my heart.

Angela looked up from her newspaper startled. "Bella, your coffee is still too hot to drink!"

"I know," I rasped, my throat raw.

Angela looked like she wanted to say something further, but thought better of it. She and I sat in silence as we finished our coffees. She was deep into her newspaper and I was deep into my thoughts and memories.

After a little while, she rose from her chair and reached for my empty coffee cup. "Are you hungry, Bella?" She handed it back to me, refilled.

I shook my head, "No," I whispered. "I couldn't eat anything right now, but thank you. Do you think you could run me by my place soon?"

She gazed at me, searching my face. "Sure. Do you want some company while you're there?"

I shook my head again. "No, I really need to do this myself." The pit felt like it was getting closer again. But I knew I needed to face this sooner than later. I had to face the house that had so much of his presence still in it, even two months later.

"I understand. Just let me know when you want to go."

I finished my second cup of coffee and felt a little better with the caffeine in my system. My throat was very sore and now I regretted purposely drinking the scalding coffee. I put my cup in the sink and walked back to the guestroom to change. I ended up having to wear the same clothes from the night before, but I would be able to change as soon as I got home. My clothes still held the slight smell of alcohol. _What a __surprise that I would smell like alcohol considering that my body felt like a distillery._

Angela quietly took me back to my house. She didn't fill the silence with chatter. Somehow she knew I preferred to be left to my own thoughts. If I wanted to talk, I would. Even under normal circumstances, I wasn't much of a talker. I said enough the night before.

For the first time since I bought my house, I felt a sense of dread upon looking at it. The dread eked into the numbness I held around me as a shield. There were so many memories of Edward just from one month. _I could finally say his name, even in my mind._ I resolved to not let the memories cripple me. A part of me rationalized that perhaps when he was here that he truly did love me, but when he got back to LA, Hollywood got under his skin again and the Edward I knew ceased to exist. That made me feel a little better. Otherwise, the idea that he never loved me at all and only toyed with my emotions was a little too much for me to take. I could enjoy the memories I had of him and just keep telling myself that it was for the best. The month we had together would just be that. A month I would never forget with Edward -- well Anthony -- that I will treasure always. Even when I was eventually held in the arms of another man, I would treasure that month. Just thinking about me being in the arms of another man made me gag. I sighed as my heart beat my brain with a stick. Even my heart couldn't imagine me in anyone else's arms but Edward's – er Anthony's – uh whatever his name was.

_Well shit, there goes my plan to save my sanity._

I kept trying to tell myself that it was just a month of fun. No more. My brain liked this idea better then drinking scalding hot coffee to dull the emotional pain. My brain was trying to use that same stick to convince my heart, but my heart wouldn't believe it, no matter how bruised and battered it got. My heart was determined that it was more than just a month, more than just a summer fling. He **loved** me.

I tried to keep it together as I started cleaning my house. I threw out my shattered cell phone after I dug out my SIM and memory cards out and tossed out the empty bottle of whiskey. As soon as I walked into my bedroom, I could smell my clothes from the prior morning. Wrinkling my nose in disgust, I wadded them up and stuffed them into my overflowing hamper. Seeing that I had been neglecting my laundry and my hamper was about to explode, I dragged my hamper to the laundry room and started a load of wash.

The desire to keep cleaning stayed with me as I listened to the water fill the washer. I started cleaning everything in the house. All surfaces were scoured, wood was polished, carpets vacuumed, floors swept. I took an old toothbrush to the grout between the tiles in my kitchen and bathroom. Any cobwebs that dared to clutter the corners of the rooms were hunted down. I straightened already straight pictures hanging on the wall, organized the few magazines on the coffee table, and rearranged candles. Anything my newly critical eye deemed was out of place was adjusted. Feeling that the house was finally no longer in shambles, I walked into the kitchen and opened my fridge. I found a new task. Everything got pulled out of the fridge so I could scrub every shelf and drawer. I even wiped up any dribbles down the sides of bottles. I threw out anything that was even close to expiring. The same was done to the freezer and my pantry. After I was done, my kitchen needed to be restocked. In reality, there really wasn't that much that needed to be thrown out but my mind was in a different place that day. Eventually, I would probably regret wasting all the food I threw out.

I stood up with a feeling of accomplishment. It quickly faded when I looked out the window and spied my next task. Hardy fall weeds dared to spring up in my almost dormant flower beds. I grabbed my weeding tools from the mud room and attacked the offending plants. There weren't many weeds left in the middle of November in Ohio, but since the ground hadn't frozen solid yet, there were still a few stragglers. Patches of grass looked a little long to my critical eye. I wondered to myself if I would have to mow the lawn again before winter officially hit.

I stood up and stretched after all the weeds were gone. Walking back into the new immaculate house, I paused as memories flooded through my mind. Before I could dwell on them long enough for the pit to overcome me, I rushed into my bathroom to shower again.

My second shower of the day made me feel even more refreshed than my first one. I walked into my bedroom naked and took several deep breathes with my eyes closed. When I opened my eyes, I focused on Anthony, my plush mountain lion with green eyes, lying on my bed. Then my eyes shifted to my open closet door where some of Edward's clothes hung. I bit my lip and willed my tears away. After I was in control of myself again, I walked to the closet and lightly ran my hand over his shirts. I pulled one out and held it to my nose. I imagined that it still smelled of him, although it actually only smelled of my laundry detergent. After making the pit creep that much closer, I put the shirt back in the closet.

_I need to pack all these up. If he wants them, he can come get them._

Taking another deep breath, I grabbed an empty box from another room and started putting his clothes and things inside. My hands shook as I unhooked the blue shirt he wore on my birthday. I stared at the shirt, watching the fabric ripple in my trembling hands. My mind went back to the beach that night. I could hear his guitar and the crash of the evening waves. I shook my head to clear the painful memories and turned to put the shirt in the box. I froze as the shirt remained in my hand. The thin fabric wrinkled as my fist clutched it.

_I can't do it._

Numbly, I reached for a hanger and hung the shirt back up. I continued putting the rest of his clothes back in the closet. I sat down on the bed weakly after I finished. I couldn't believe how much effort it took to just deal with his clothes. My eyes glanced at the clock and I realized I needed to leave. I still needed to buy another cell phone before I went into work. I dressed quickly and gathered my things before rushing out the door to my truck.

New cell phone in hand, I walked into the Midnight Sun. Angela and Jacob had arrived already and were in the middle of setting up the chairs and tables. I dropped my stuff in my office and walked back to the storeroom to get ice for the front bar coolers. As I was filling up the ice bucket, Jacob walked over looking uncertain.

"Hey, Bells."

"Hi, Jake. What's up?" I dumped another scoop of ice into the bucket.

"How you doin'?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at his feet.

I sighed quietly. "I'm alright. I've been better but I've been worse too," I answered honestly. Despite everything that happened yesterday, I really thought I was feeling a little better. I kept trying to tell myself that he loved me while he was here, but after he left, the man who loved me ceased to exist. If he no longer existed, he couldn't have cheated on me. I thought about explaining that to Jacob but I doubted he would understand my train of thought. I barely understood it myself. The man I had for a month during the best summer of my life was for all intents and purposes, Anthony. The man who was in Hollywood rekindling things with his ex-girlfriend was Edward.

Jacob nodded and looked like he wanted to say something else but didn't. His eyes flickered to the cases of Jameson that were sitting nearby.

I smiled slightly. I could see where his thoughts were going. "Don't worry, Jake. I'm not going to bury myself in a bottle tonight." He looked relieved. "I may have a drink or two but it will not be like last night. I will still be in control of myself."

He nodded again, satisfied. "Good. If you need anything, let me know."

"I will. Thank you, Jake. You are a good friend."

He smiled and walked back to the floor to finish getting the bar ready to open.

I wheeled out the bucket of ice on a large dolly and heaved its contents into the cooler. A couple of trips later, the cooler was full of ice and beer. The rest of the staff had slowly trickled in, most trying not to glance my way too much in an effort to be polite. Jessica, however, could not hold back her curiosity any longer.

"Hi, Bella." Jessica smiled at me broadly as she unsuccessfully tryied to hide her curiosity

"Hello, Jessica. How are you today?" I wiped down the bar without looking up at her. I could see her reflection in the finish on the bar top anyway.

"I'm fine. You're looking better today," she said pleasantly.

"Thank you. It's been a rough couple of days." I didn't want to tell her all the particulars, especially when I knew that she knew who Anthony really was. Although I was still trying to cling to the idea that Anthony was not the same person as the Hollywood movie star known as Edward Cullen, my grip on that lie was slipping.

"It seemed that way yesterday. May I ask what happened?"

I was amazed that her tone seemed to reflect genuine concern. Maybe Jessica was learning some tact and social grace after all. _Doubtful._ She was probably just being extra nice hoping I would spill the beans.

"I'm not ready to really talk about it yet, Jess, but I appreciate your concern. It was bad but it's getting better. It will just take time."

Jessica looked at me closely. _What was up with everyone looking at me so much today?_ She opened her mouth but closed it before speaking. I could practically hear the wheels turning in her mind. "That's good, Bella," she finally managed to say. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

I wanted to believe the sincerity of her words, but it just was not Jessica's nature to be that empathetic without a motive. However, she was being unusually polite. I shook my head and resigned myself that she was curious and wanted to know the latest gossip. Jessica turned from the bar and walked towards the jukebox. She picked a safe rock song. I was glad. I was afraid she was going to pick an Edward Cullen song.

I glanced at the clock and strolled over to the front door to unlock it and flip on the 'Open' neon sign. Within a few minutes, the first patrons strolled in for a Saturday afternoon drink.

The afternoon passed smoothly. I tried to keep my thoughts from straying to Edward or Anthony too often. My focus was on work as much as possible. When my focus slipped, I took a drink. Just one. It helped steady me and realign my focus until my next slip. It worked so well that my patrons had never had service as good as they had today.

I felt my new cell phone shift in my pocket as I filled a mug with some draft beer. After I handed the mug to the patron, I pulled out my phone and played with it for a minute. Thankfully I had saved my SIM and memory cards so I still had all my contacts, pictures, and mp3 files. Nothing else had been set up. I didn't even know my new number by heart yet. When I was at the cell phone store, I decided to get a new number. Part of the reason was to keep Edward from calling me right away. The other reason was to see what lengths he would go to try to reach me, if he even wanted to do so. A lot of my train of thought was based on the assumption that he would try to call to at least try to cover his ass. If he really wanted to talk to me, he'd have to work to find my new number or come find me in person. Either way, it would take a little bit of time, time I desperately needed to get myself right in the head again.

Feeling wickedly evil in the good sense, I decided to have a little fun with good old Jacob. He didn't know I asked for a new cell phone number. I flipped open my phone and sent him a quick text message.

**-Hey Sexy. You look gooooooood-**

I watched Jake out of the corner of my eye and saw him jump as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly fished it out and looked puzzled at the number displayed. As he read the message, his eyebrows shot up. Jacob looked around quickly, his eyes suspicious. He furiously typed a response.

_**-Who is this?-**_

I snickered. This was fun. I should blind text people more often. _Maybe_ _Edward_... I shook my head. That would be a very, very, very bad idea. I continued to text Jacob.

**-A secret admirer-**

He shook his head and typed again.

_**-Jess?-**_

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

**-Nope-**

Now he was starting to get irritated.

_**-I have a gf. How did u get this #?-**_

_Girlfriend, eh? _I hadn't realized he and Angela had moved up into exclusivity. _Good for them._ My next text just got that much more evil.

**-I'm sure Angela would be willing to share.-**

Jacob's face was priceless. His eyes got as big as saucers and his jaw hung open in surprise. As he collected himself, his brows furrowed and his eyes became confused and angry. He punched his response into his phone stiffly.

_**-Look, I don't know who the hell you are, but I am NOT interested.-**_

I couldn't fight the laughter now. Jacob heard me and looked in my direction. His confusion mounted until I waved at him with my phone in my hand. His jaw dropped again. My phone vibrated as I got another text.

_**-Bella?-**_

**-Yep. New phone & new #.-**

He shook his head while he finally laughed and reprogrammed my new number into his phone.

_**-Cute-**_

I batted my eyelashes at him as I closed my phone.

The rest of the night went by without issue. There were no drunken brawls or grabby customers, just a rather tame Saturday night. It was kind of disappointing. A more exciting night would give me something else to think about. As we cleaned up for the night, I dreaded going back to my home with all my memories but I knew I had to face it. Nighttime was typically when we got to spend the most time together. I couldn't avoid this forever, and since I got through the afternoon, I hoped I could get through my first evening alone. By the time the night ended, I only had a slight buzz. I hadn't drunk nearly as much as I thought I would. That didn't' mean I hadn't through about Edward because he was constantly on my mind, though it wasn't always unbearable. Maybe my tolerance for pain had increased radically in the past twenty-four hours. I was surprised at how numb I could feel but still feel like my heart had been ripped out.

As unsafe as it was, I was able to convince my friends I was okay to drive even with my buzz. I did not want to be coddled anymore. I could hear my father lighting me up for even thinking about driving. However, I felt that I could handle the short drive home. It wasn't something I did a lot, but I just had to do this myself. If I was going to get through this, I couldn't have anyone else to lean on anymore. I had to learn how to deal with my despair myself so I could eventually climb out of the chasm.

Once I pulled into my lonely and dark gravel driveway, I got ready for bed quickly. If I stayed up too long, I'd start remembering our nights together or I'd end up trying to call him. That idea stuck with me more than I cared for it to do. I longed to hear his voice and to hear him call me 'love' as he always did. But that man was not mine to think of this way anymore. He no longer existed. I sighed and stuck with my original plan. If he really wanted to talk to me then he could figure out how to get my new cell phone number or he could fly his Hollywood ass back to Ohio._ If_ he really wanted to talk. _If_ he really didn't do anything wrong,_ if_ he really cared, he would try. I doubted he did. Anthony cared. Edward did not. But Anthony didn't exist anymore. Only Edward did, and he was dragging me into that miasma of despair again. My convoluted thoughts about Edward and Anthony and what I really wanted swirled through my head.

I fell asleep clutching Anthony the mountain lion to my chest.

**A/N Please review! Next chapter is Edward's side... so what do you think of this Edward? What do you think of Bella's reactions?**

**Thread on Twilighted - ****twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**

**Rec: Weight In: Losing to Gain by my beta, HEAR **

**Summary: Overweight and under-appreciated, Bella has stalled at life. When the chance arises to compete on America's favorite weight loss game show, will she take the opportunity to change her life and find love in the process?**


	13. Chapter 13: Mistakes

**A/N Special thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Also super big thanks to Amydee who has been a big supporter of me and my story and encouraged me when I wanted to throw in the towel.**

**Chapter Thirteen: Mistakes**

**EPOV**

I stared at my phone in shock. _What the hell just happened?_ Tanya stood about three feet from me smirking as I glared at her. I was already pissed off that she just waltzed into my trailer like she owned the place, and the look on her face wasn't helping.

"What the fuck, Tanya? What is this all about?"

She walked slowly back over to me. "Oh, nothing. It's too bad that your little friend had to overhear us."

I started to see red. "There is no _us_, Tanya. I have told you several times I am not interested. I don't know where you get off storming into my trailer and not even having the courtesy to leave when I ask you to go. And then you throw yourself at me-"

"You liked it. You know you did. You couldn't keep your hands off of me," Tanya taunted.

"I was trying to push you off of me without hurting you," I spat, exasperated.

"Oh, but you liked being rough with me before, Eddie. Don't you remember?" she asked seductively.

"My name is Edward, Tanya, and that was a long time ago. We are not together anymore and never will be again," I said with all the strength my voice I could muster. "Please leave."

Tanya continued on, ignoring my request. "Oh but I beg to differ, _Eddie_. Everyone already knows about us, why do you keep fighting it?" She ran her hand down my chest with a look of triumph in her eyes.

Never before had I ever wanted to hit a woman until that moment. With all the restraint I possessed, I firmly removed her hand from my chest. As my mind whirled over Tanya's statement, something Bella said clicked in my head. "Everybody knows what, Tanya?" I asked carefully, my voice low.

"That we are together again, like we should be," she said matter-of-factly.

"And how would they know that?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Because I told them. I know you are too shy and reserved to talk about our relationship, so I did," she replied calmly, brushing her strawberry blonde hair from her shoulders. She stood there so confident and sure of herself.

"The interview," I stated flatly.

She nodded with a wide smile. "See? It's all taken care of now. You don't need to string your little friend along any longer." There was a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"You came in here now knowing I was talking to her, didn't you?"

She looked at me, her cool blue eyes wide with innocence. "How could I know you'd be talking to her? Bella, isn't it?"

I didn't believe a word she said, especially after that 'meeting for coffee' debacle. _Just about our roles my ass._

"Tanya, I am giving you three seconds to get out of my trailer before I throw you out." I was furious, livid, beyond any level of anger I'd ever felt. It wasn't just her I was mad at this time. She wasn't the only one to blame for my predicament.

She batted her eyelashes at me, testing me.

I walked right up to her and put my face inches from hers. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" I roared. I finally knocked some of that cocky self-assurance from her. She actually looked scared.

"Okay, perhaps now is a bad time. I'll come back later," she said quickly, hurrying to the door.

"There will never be a later. EVER," I shouted.

Once Tanya had finally left my trailer, I tried to absorb the chaos that I found myself in. _What happened? __Bella broke up with me; that's what happened. But why? Why wouldn't she let me explain? Nothing happened; I would never cheat on Bella, especially not with Tanya. _I stared at my phone again and tried to call Bella. It went straight to voicemail. I tried again. Voicemail. I tried three times, all went to voicemail. _What am I going to do?_

Phone still in hand, I called security and Jane, the personal assistant I hired shortly after returning to LA, and advised them that Tanya was not permitted in my trailer at any time for any reason. Jane huffed, but did as I said.

I sagged into my chair and held my head in my hands, everything from the past three months coming to a head. Everything from the moment I stepped into _Midnight Sun_ and met Bella. Everything from when my life irrefutably changed.

I knew exactly where my first mistake was. I didn't tell Bella about my previous relationship with Tanya. I didn't want her to worry about anything. I knew she already felt she couldn't compete with the women in Hollywood and I didn't want her to obsess over Tanya. Bella just didn't understand that there was no competition. No woman in Hollywood could compare with Bella. Bella was everything I had ever wanted in a woman. I thought Tanya had ruined me for any kind of realistic relationship, the kind that had a future. With Bella, I had found something worth fighting for and I ended up sabotaging the relationship myself.

My second mistake was agreeing to meet Tanya for coffee. She had tried getting me alone ever since the day I returned to LA. Every time, I turned her down. A few weeks ago, she asked me to meet her for coffee, stating that it was to discuss our movie roles. She had been rather nice and not so crazy recently, so I agreed. I should've cancelled when she told me where she wanted to meet up. The coffee house she chose was in the heart of Hollywood where people went to be seen by the paparazzi. I was being photographed even before I sat down. Things were going well as we talked. We spoke of some of the harder parts of our roles and I actually started enjoying myself. When she wasn't trying to get into my pants, she actually wasn't that bad to be around. The meeting was ruined when she put her hand over mine and started rubbing my skin. It was only a split second before I quickly removed my hand from the table, but apparently not soon enough to prevent a photographer from snapping the shot that damned me. I told Tanya immediately to stop, that we weren't getting back together, and that I had a girlfriend that I loved very much. Apparently, she didn't get the hint. I think it just spurred her on to try harder.

I was so naïve to think Bella wouldn't eventually see the pictures. I knew the pictures were out there. My hope that she wouldn't find them was rather ingenuous and unworthy of Bella. She wasn't stupid and didn't live in some backwater town cut off from communication with the outside world. I was such a fool.

When I heard Tanya was doing an interview, I didn't think anything of it. Actors are expected to give interviews to help promote their work or just get extra media exposure. Based on the comments that Bella made, this interview was not all about the movie. I cringed thinking about what Tanya could have said that would make Bella doubt how I felt about her. The pictures that Bella found apparently gave whatever Tanya said enough clout to make it believable.

I walked over to the desk where my laptop was sitting and sat down. Taking a deep breath, I googled Tanya's interview. I almost broke the computer screen after I finished watching it. Before I gave in to my anger and tossed the laptop across the room, I carefully removed my fingers from the screen one by one.

"Tanya is so full of shit. I am going to kill that woman."

Needing to see the full extent of the damage done, I googled pictures of myself and Tanya. I cried out in frustration and anger from the results. There were many familiar pictures of me and Tanya from when we dated. Those pictures should not have been the problem because they were old. I kept scrolling through the results and found the coffee pictures. The image of Tanya holding my hand made my stomach churn. _Bella mentioned recent pictures of Tanya and me kissing. The only time I've touched her is on set. _My heart sank as new images of her and me kissing appeared on the screen. The tagline said something about our rekindled relationship.

"Oh no," I whispered.

The pictures showed the evidence of our 'rekindled' romance were from the set. The tagline wasn't dated so there would've been no way for people not intimately involved with the movie to know when they were taken. If Bella saw them, she could have no reason to think otherwise about Tanya and me. _I am so fucked. __Bella is never going to believe me. I wouldn't believe me either._ _What a fool I have been. _I ran my hands through my hair and tugged on the ends forcefully. My roots protested but I continued torturing my hair.

I turned my laptop off and sat at my desk. I didn't know what I could possibly do now to fix this. With the interview and the photos, Bella was never going to believe a word I said, if she would ever answer the phone to let me plead my case. I felt lost, more lost than before I walked into her bar that fateful night. I wanted a bottle of vodka very badly. My only saving grace was there was no alcohol in my trailer.

I needed to talk to Alice. If anyone could help me salvage this situation, it was Alice. My sister was a genius when it came to relationships and advice.

I picked up my phone and dialed, hoping she wasn't with a client. Thankfully her perky voice came on after two rings. "Hi, Edward! How are you?"

"Not good, Alice. I need to talk to you about something very important. Are you busy tomorrow?"

"What's wrong, Edward? Are you okay?" My sister's bubbly voice turned anxious.

"I'm okay but I really need to talk to you. I need your help. Can you come down here tomorrow? I'll pay for your airfare."

"You don't need to buy my ticket, Edward, but I appreciate the offer. I have my own money." She giggled. Alice could only be serious for so long. "It'll be great to see you again. I haven't been to LA since the spring. Oooh, I can check out Rodeo Drive while I'm there too."

"Alice, please focus." She was easily distracted if shopping was even remotely in the equation.

"Sorry, Edward, you know how I am. I'll get the first flight out in the morning from Seattle and text you my flight information."

"Thank you, Alice. You have no idea how much this means to me," I said earnestly.

"It's about that girl isn't it?" she asked. She was always very perceptive. I had only told her a little bit about Bella.

"Yes."

"It'll be okay, Edward," she soothed with confidence.

"I hope so, Alice."

We ended the phone call and I buried my face in my hands again. Alice made me feel a little better about the situation but only marginally. I had finally found the one woman that I wanted more than any other in the world, and I might end up losing her over my stupidity.

My thoughts trailed back to the Friday when I left Ohio. It was one of the hardest things I had ever done. I felt like I was leaving half of myself there at the airport. Bella was doing such a good job of keeping herself together, but I could see the tears that were just waiting to fall. I felt similar feelings; the loss of her was enough to bring me to tears as well. The plane ride home -- well my other home since Bella's house felt like home -- was uneventful. I flipped through pictures of Bella on my phone to pass the time and tried to avoid the overly flirtatious flight attendant. Eventually, I fell asleep thinking about Bella.

When I landed, I could feel the vitality of Los Angeles before I even got off the plane. There was just something in the air -- besides the smog -- that got into my blood. Despite loving the slower pace of Ohio, I doubted I could ever completely forgo the energy of LA. Hopefully I'd be able to show Bella the appeal of this place sometime.

As soon as I got through the last security point and into baggage claim, photographers went nuts taking my picture. Marcus was right about them waiting for me to return to LA. The paparazzi were everywhere, a bigger pack than I was used to seeing at LAX. As expected, Marcus, with his trademark long black hair, waited off to one side for me. He had enough foresight to bring a security detail with him to keep the most zealous of paparazzi at bay. The guys Marcus found were impressive in stature. They looked bigger than Jacob and my brother.

As soon as I was within earshot, Marcus began a monologue of everything we needed to do that day. Apparently Hollywood could not wait even five minutes for me. Before he got too far into his spiel, I stopped him so I could call Bella. Her voice was calming magic to me. The noise of the airport and all the photographers faded away as we spoke. Only with Marcus's persistence was he able to break through our bubble. I finally had to say goodbye to Bella much sooner than I had originally planned.

One of the many things we took care of that first day was the whole personal assistant business. I wasn't real happy about Marcus pushing a PA on me, but I'd deal with it. It took me a few days to pick one I could tolerate. I settled on Jane, a petite blonde woman who was efficient and polite, but not very friendly. I really didn't care if she wasn't friendly or didn't like me. As long as she did her job and stayed out of my way, I would tolerate her. I thought having a PA was unnecessary, but it took some of the workload off Marcus. Personally, I thought this was the real reason why Marcus was so insistent on me hiring a PA.

A bit past midnight, I was finally able to get back to my apartment. I really didn't understand why Marcus felt the need to go as many places as we did as soon as I got off the plane. Maybe he needed to reassure people I was no longer a drunken basket case. Regardless, it was very late and I was beyond exhausted. My body was still on Ohio time, which made it three hours later than what it was here in California. I figured sleeping without Bella would be difficult to adjust to, but with how tired I was, that first night wasn't that hard at all. I didn't realize that Bella had called me until I was putting a few of my things away right before I passed out. I wanted to call Bella back but it would've been about five o'clock in the morning in Ohio and I didn't want to disturb her. My exhausted brain would not have been able to put sentences together that made any sense either. I set my alarm so I could wake up early enough to call her before she went to work.

Hearing Bella's voice that next morning was a great way to start the day. I instantly felt guilty about not calling her back the night before when I heard how sad she was when she answered the phone. She didn't say specifically what was bothering her, but it was easy to figure out. I never wanted her to feel that again because of me. We agreed to talk every day, regardless of when, and that was something I definitely did not have a problem doing. I would go crazy if I wasn't able to hear her voice ever day. I missed her like crazy and it had only been one day.

I decided then that I wanted to do something for her each week so she would always know that I was thinking about her. I arranged to have a different bouquet of flowers, all with a few Gerber daises mixed in, sent to her every Monday at the bar. I was right in the middle of our first rehearsal when she called me after receiving the first of what would end up being many weekly bouquets. I could feel the director's stare burning a hole in my back as I stepped outside to take the call. Bella was more important than anyone else. The very vivid things she told me she wanted to do as thanks for her flowers made it necessary for me to stay outside a few minutes longer to try to calm my body down. Certain things had reacted in a very pleasant way to her descriptions. _Man, I love that woman._

The first rehearsals went great. I got to know some of the other actors who I hadn't worked with before and was able to reconnect with others I already knew. Many had heard of my issues over the past year and were glad to see I had cleaned up my act. The only person who made my skin crawl was Tanya. From the moment _she_ saw me walk through the door, it looked like she wanted to eat me alive. It was not an attractive look for her. If this was a few years ago, my reaction may have been different, but not now. She was undeniably beautiful, but I realized in August that I preferred brunettes, specifically one particular brunette.

I tried spending as much free time on set with my friend Seth Clearwater who was also cast as my best friend in the movie. He was the first person in LA, besides Marcus, who I told about Bella. He was ecstatic. He couldn't wait to meet her. Seth also understood my issues with Tanya. We had been friends prior to my relationship with Tanya so he was there through the whole thing. After our very public and disastrous break -up, Seth discovered how persistent she could be when it concerned me. He always tried to be around when she was near so she couldn't corner me, as she seemed to do any time the opportunity presented itself.

Most nights, after we were done, groups of the cast and crew would go out for a bite to eat and to unwind. I really didn't feel up to it, but Seth begged me to go one night. I allowed myself a few beers but stayed away from the liquor. I wasn't sure if I could control myself with the harder stuff. Everyone I was out with stared at me when I took my first sip of a beer in front of them. I laughed and said I knew my limits now and wasn't going to turn into 'Crazy Eddie' anymore. As the night progressed, I became more and more depressed and retreated into myself with a beer. Every brown-haired woman I saw reminded me of Bella, which made the pain of our separation that much worse. Before it got too late, I tried to call Bella. It was hard for us to hear each other with all the noise, so I stepped outside. We had only spoken for a few minutes before Seth and one of the other guys came looking for me. Seth mouthed 'Tanya' as he approached. Not wanting to have to deal with Tanya while on the phone with Bella, I dejectedly ended the call and tried to hide from the shrew. The rest of the night did not improve my mood. I went home a few hours later, having successfully dodged Tanya at every turn. Several ladies who had become a part of our group tried to accompany me, but I declined. The only woman I wanted wasn't here. At home, lonely and frustrated, I vowed to not go out again.

Seth persisted and continued to try to get me to hang out. He wasn't trying to get me to hook up with anyone, he just didn't want me sitting home alone being depressed. It was just so difficult to go out and have fun when Bella wasn't around. So I stayed home and watched television or played the piano or guitar. I had left one of my touring guitars at Bella's, but I had my personal favorite in my apartment. Playing that guitar was like putting on a favorite pair of jeans. There was a level of comfort and familiarity that instantly soothed, no matter what was going on. I was able to relax while I waited for Bella to get off work so we could talk. I supposed it was kind of pathetic for me to be moping about my apartment; even I have to admit to that. I was hopelessly in love with her and had never felt like this before, so I really wasn't sure what else I was supposed to do. So I moped, thinking about when I would get to see her again.

A few weeks later, Seth apparently got tired of seeing me mope and tried to drag me out of my apartment kicking and screaming. I argued and even threatened to deck him, but he persisted. I finally gave up when something he said actually made sense. "Come on, Edward, do you really think Bella would want you to sit around your apartment and be depressed? I'm not saying you should shack up with anybody... just to come hang out with us a bit. You are allowed to have fun without your girlfriend around."

I looked up at him guiltily from my spot in my favorite recliner. I was starting to get stir crazy in my apartment, but I was hesitant about going out. I didn't want to have to deal with trying to avoid Tanya or any of the other girls that seemed to gravitate toward me when we were out. Seth continued to harass me so I finally gave in and went with the group he had gathered. This time it wasn't so bad. Seth had managed to find a place where we could be relatively anonymous and left alone. After that night, I felt more comfortable being out in public and agreed to go out more often.

Trying to talk to Bella when I was out was difficult. I tried to step away to a more quiet area but it wasn't always possible. Those conversations were always short, and she sounded like she was miffed. I knew she wouldn't begrudge me trying to be social, so I wasn't sure what to make of it. She called me out on it one night when I was home and bone tired. I was already exhausted and ended up being shorter with her than I intended. The parties weren't important, but I still wanted to go and hang out with my friends and I didn't have the mental capacity to discuss it with her that night. I just wanted to talk to my girlfriend who I missed terribly.

Tanya was still up to her tricks. When I went out with everyone, if she was there she always tried to single me out. Seth, the awesome friend that he was, always helped out and broke in on her attempts to get her claws into me. I laughed every time I saw the daggers that Tanya would send in Seth's direction. She knew what he was doing just as much as Seth and I knew what she was trying to do. I had to be nice to her because we were working together, but I certainly didn't like her or enjoy her company. Tanya's persistence was making me start to think she liked the chase more than the prize. Her intentions were made all the more clear with that disastrous meeting over coffee. I smacked myself in the head again thinking about how stupid I was for agreeing to that.

As we got closer to Thanksgiving, things had gotten a little strained with Bella. I hadn't meant it to be, it just kind of happened. Our shooting schedule was rigorous, so I was usually exhausted from the moment I got up regardless of what I did the night before. It felt like I was running on fumes every single day, and I wasn't the only one who felt like this. It was starting to take its toll on the entire cast and crew, and on my relationship with Bella. My borderline depression over missing her hadn't gone away, and the strain and exhaustion was making my depression worse. I didn't talk to her about it like I probably should have, _mistake number three_, because I didn't want her to worry unnecessarily. I didn't want her to think I was returning to my former self, the drunk, miserable man I was before. If I told her how bummed I was and how pathetic I got, she would worry even more about me. If she missed me half as much as I did her, I didn't need to add any more problems to my sweet Bella's plate than necessary. So for all my efforts to protect her from my misery, it just made her feel that much worse. She didn't like being pushed away, but it was how I dealt with things. I wasn't trying to hurt her at all. I was trying to protect her. I wished she would understand that.

Now to the clusterfuck that happened today. I shook my head as the anger at Tanya bubbled up again. The audacity of that woman to just stroll into my trailer and say and do the things she did when I was on the phone with Bella. At the time, I was so confused over what Bella was shouting at me, but now it all made sense. Admittedly, it hurt that she really thought I would cheat on her, but the evidence painted me guilty, even if it was wrong.

_If she would only answer the damn phone so I could explain!_

I wasn't going to be able to concentrate at all today. I couldn't believe that nobody told me about the interview Tanya gave. Although that would explain the strange looks I had been getting from people the past few days, Marcus especially. He had the strangest expression on his face as he looked at me as we were wrapping up last night. He shook his head and walked away before I could ask him what was wrong. _Why didn't he ask me about her interview? Did he think I would've jumped back into her arms? What kind of man does Marcus think I am? He knows how much I care about Bella._ I needed to clear things up with Marcus and at least that I could do today. I would see him and Jane later today after we were done for the week.

I sighed. I really needed to talk to Alice. My sister was a great resource about all things female. I knew she would help steer me in the right direction, if it wasn't too late.

I tried calling Bella again. Her phone still went right to voicemail. This time the message I left outright begged her to call me back, telling her that it was all a misunderstanding, that I was sorry, and I loved her. I hoped she would check her voicemail. I thought about calling her at the bar, but if she wasn't answering her cell phone then she wasn't about to want to talk to me while she was at work. I sighed again and hoped that things would work out eventually.

I was torn out of my thoughts by a banging on my trailer door. One of the crew was calling me to the set in five minutes. _Back to work. Let's hope I don't kill my co-star in the process. _I took a calming breath so I could keep my head in the game. I knew my heart wasn't in it right now, not until I could straighten things out with Bella.

----

I waited somewhat patiently for Alice's plane to arrive in the baggage claim area. The flight was on time, so it would only be about another five minutes. The paparazzi were hovering, snapping the occasional picture of me as I waited. I tried to ignore them, although if I had really wanted to avoid them I should've come to the airport later or sent Jane to pick up Alice. I was too excited to see my sister, so I put up with the throng of photographers. It had been awhile since I had seen her. Alice was the opposite of me; she enjoyed the attention of the paparazzi when she was with me. She claimed that anytime she was photographed it boosted her business in Seattle. So for her sake, I would suffer the glare of the cameras for awhile.

While I waited, Marcus and I texted each other back and forth. We were making plans for after the Thanksgiving holiday to continue boosting my reformed image. Last night over dinner, I had straightened things out about my alleged relationship with that vile, evil woman, Tanya.

He seemed dubious at first. Years in Hollywood had jaded him. It really didn't surprise him that I could've been back with Tanya despite my dislike for her and my deep feelings for Bella. So many people in Hollywood were unfaithful to their partners and would hook up with the most unlikely of people. A lot of this behavior was driven by publicity but not always. I explained how the meeting at the coffee shop really went down, and ripped into that joke of a fabricated interview. I emphasized how much I regretted putting myself in that position at the coffee shop and how that fed into Tanya's claims during her interview. Marcus joked that I should sue for libel.

Jane remained quiet throughout the entire conversation. I didn't trust her. Something about her seemed off. Ever since I hired her, anytime Bella was the topic of conversation, she was strangely attentive and had an odd hint of a smile on her face. She always did as I asked and was impeccable in her work, so I had no real reason for complaint. For all intents and purposes she was very competent as an assistant. It was just that strange behavior went it dealt with Bella that gave me pause. I coughed it up to jealousy and tried not to focus on it.

Thankfully, Marcus believed me without too much further convincing. He was relieved that I wasn't like the other people in Hollywood, even if he wouldn't have been surprised if I had been. He asked about Bella and if she saw the interview and the photos. I nodded, feeling the bile rise in the back of my throat, and told him about the mislabeled set photos that further enforced Tanya's claim of a relationship with me. I described how that morning had gone and what Tanya had done to help ruin my relationship with Bella. Marcus shook his head in disbelief over this new revelation. Marcus didn't care for Tanya but didn't think she'd stoop to that level. Jane looked everywhere but at our table.

After some musing, he asked me the million dollar question.

"What are you going to do about Bella?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't really know, Marcus. I really don't."

"You better figure it out soon before you lose her!"

I couldn't help but respond with sarcasm. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. I'm working on it."

"Edward!"

I was snapped from my recollection by a soprano sing-song voice calling my name. It was like hearing a melody of wind-chimes. I looked around for a certain petite, black-haired pixie. The crowd of people entering baggage claim from the gate made it difficult to find her. I continued scanning the crowds until I got hit from behind by something soft and small. Startled, I whipped around but relaxed instantly when I recognized the tiny form of my baby sister.

"Hi, Alice," I laughed as I wrapped my arms around her tiny frame in a hug.

"Hi, Edward!" she sang happily. It was hard to be sad around her. Alice's bubbly, high-energy personality rubbed off on everyone she came into contact with.

As we hugged each other, I heard a few lens shutters flash and tried not to grimace. "How was the flight?" I asked politely as we walked out of the baggage claim area.

"Fine. The usual" she responded as she skipped happily along side me. She kept that up until we were outside of the main airport complex and in the bright California sun. "Ahh.... the sun!" She practically worshipped the sun when she came down to visit me. Seattle, or really anywhere in Washington, was not known for its sunny vistas.

I laughed at her antics. Sometimes I wondered how it was that she was twenty-four when she acted more like she was fourteen.

"Is it time to go shopping yet?" she asked eagerly, grinning from ear to ear.

"Alice, you just got here!" I protested.

"I know. Prime shopping time is wasting away! Where is your Volvo?" When I wasn't walking fast enough for her, she turned around to face me, pleading. "Let's go, Edward!" She practically dragged me into the interior of the short-term parking garage.

I shook my head while chuckling to myself and led her to my precious silver Volvo. As soon as I had the remote locks popped, Alice hopped right in. She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for me to get in and start the car.

"Food first, Alice. I haven't had breakfast yet."

She groaned but didn't say anything else. A minute later, her stomach betrayed her by growling loudly as I was pulling out of the parking garage. "Guess I can't argue," she commented, her voice light with humor.

I smiled and headed to my favorite diner. It was a small, hole-in-the-wall kind of place that surprisingly allowed me some privacy. The paparazzi usually left me alone there and the staff was laid back too, which helped me keep some anonymity. Everyone at the diner seemed to recognize that the celebrities that came in were trying to escape. Of course, the only celebrities who usually came to this diner were the ones, like me, who were more publicity shy than most.

The best part was the food. It was phenomenal. I think they had some classically trained executive chef hiding in their kitchen. The food was way beyond standard diner fare. A person could still get a burger or country-fried steak, but a hungry patron could also get minted lamb chops or sous vide duck.

Alice wrinkled her nose as we pulled in. I couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Alice. The food is much better than how the place looks."

"If you say so," she replied dubiously.

"I do say so. I love this place. And you know how I am about food." My green eyes danced with mirth. I enjoyed teasing my sister.

She looked slightly mollified. "You _are_ rather particular."

"See? Nothing to worry about. Have some faith in your big brother."

We entered the diner and grabbed a booth towards the back. Our hostess handed us menus and two glasses of ice water. I already knew what I wanted. Hell, I had the menu memorized a long time ago. Alice hemmed and hawed over a couple of items but finally decided after a few minutes.

Our waitress came over to get our orders. Some of the newer waitresses sometimes would get star struck when a celebrity walked in. It was pretty annoying. Nobody wanted to be fawned over while they were eating. The managers made sure to nip that in the bud right away before it became a problem.

"Hey, Velma, how are you doing?" I gave the waitress a friendly wave and shot her my most dazzling smile. She was one of my favorites. Velma was vivacious and full of life, and constantly surprised me with her energy at her age. She always had a story from back in the day when this actor or that actress came in. Velma especially enjoyed reminiscing on the stories over Kurt Douglas and how he would come to the diner and try to get her to run off with him. I could see the pull that those men may have had towards Velma. She was very charismatic and still carried a hint of the beauty of her youth. In a lot of ways, Velma reminded me of Esme. Perhaps this was another reason why I enjoyed coming here so much.

"Just fine, Edward, thank you for asking. However, if you don't quit trying to dazzle me like that, I may have to show you what this old lady can do to a young man such as yourself," she warned with a smirk. Her voice was gravely like someone who drank and smoked through much of their adult life. That was the good-natured ribbing that I enjoyed with Velma. Anytime she waited on me, I tried to dazzle her as best I could and she in turn would flirt with me unabashedly, telling me what she could teach me. I knew I could act this way with her and she wouldn't take it any way besides how it was intended, a joke between friends. Alice looked back and forth between us watching our interaction with interest, a twinkle in her eye.

"Velma, I'd like you to meet my sister, Alice. Alice, this is the best waitress in LA and probably the world, Velma." Velma swatted my arm at the compliment but smiled warmly.

Alice seemed to like Velma immediately and grinned broadly at her. "Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise," Velma said. "Do you live in this zoo of a city also, Alice?"

"No, I live in Seattle. I came down for the day to do some shopping and help my dear butthead brother out with some girl trouble."

My cheeks burned a little in embarrassment. Velma clucked her tongue appraising me. "Girl troubles, eh? Has she been in any good movies?"

"None," I replied. Velma's eyebrows raised a little. Most people expected celebrities to date celebrities. Thankfully, Alice already knew this much. But she was still watching me closely and I couldn't figure out why. I continued, "She's not an actress. She owns a bar."

Velma smiled, "Which one? I know most of the bars around here."

"She's not in LA or even California. She's from Ohio. Her bar is in this small town that she spent the later part of her childhood in."

Velma's lips shaped into a silent "O" in surprise. Alice was still gazing at me with one eyebrow raised.

"You are definitely making things hard on yourself, young man," Velma warned in earnest. I had the sense that she wanted to say more, but held back.

"Yeah, but Bella's worth it." I whispered.

Velma smiled again and patted my hand. "I've been monopolizing you too much this morning." She took out her order pad. "What would you like today?"

Alice and I ordered our breakfast and some coffee. I was a sucker for good Eggs Benedict, which by ordering it just reminded me of Bella again. I sighed. Alice looked at my quizzically. I merely smiled and said just one word, "Bella."

"So tell me about her," she prompted.

"Alice, Bella is everything to me. I can describe her to a point, but there is just so much more to her than what I can ever truly say. She's beautiful and kind, thoughtful and smart, klutzy but incredibly sexy. She helped me so much. She found me when I was lost. She grounded me when I was sinking. She made all this craziness tolerable again. And, she's inspired me to start composing again."

"Really?" Alice knew I had hit a creative dry-spell. It was a concern I had shared with her many times in the past year, that I hadn't been able to write a new song or do anything really creative musically for some time.

In the past three months, I hadn't told her everything about Bella, but she did know more than anyone else in my family. So I filled her in on the rest of the details. She listened intently as I reiterated how absolutely crazy I was about her and that she had helped me sober up. She looked horrified when I told her about the assault on Bella by one of her patrons, how great I thought her home was, and what I had done to help renovate it. Her eyebrows rose over Tooltimeward but she didn't interrupt. I was almost babbling to Alice, but I wanted to make sure that she knew there was more to this than just a crush. I felt drawn to Bella, a pull that had not lessened in the two months since I had seen her.

"Alice, Bella is very special to me. I feel connected to her, more connected than anyone I have ever met before. More so than I ever thought possible. I love her," I admitted quietly.

Alice clapped her hands together excitedly. She would've bowled me over in a hug if the table wasn't between us.

"So what's the problem? Can't tell her those three little words?" she asked eagerly.

I shook my head sadly. "I wish it was that easy. She knows I love her, at least she used to know."

Alice looked at me sympathetically as Velma brought our food. Velma sensed we were in the middle of an important discussion so she did not loiter at the table.

"What happened, Edward?" Alice asked quietly, digging into her French toast.

"Tanya," I replied. Alice hissed. She never liked Tanya. She had only met Tanya a couple of times when we dated. Alice disliked Tanya from the first moment she laid eyes on her. She was always polite to Tanya but definitely let me know how she felt when Tanya was not around. "Well, to be honest, Tanya wasn't completely at fault," I continued. "I am at fault for some of this mess, too."

"So why not call her and apologize?"

"She won't answer her phone or respond to any of my text messages."

"What did you do, Edward? When did this all start?" Concern was in her voice as she took my hand in hers.

"I'd like to say yesterday, but honestly there is more to it than just one day." I took a big bite of my Eggs Benedict, taking comfort in the warm, eggy goodness.

"Go on," Alice prompted gently.

I explained the whole horrid story to my sister. Not just the meeting with Tanya for coffee and her interview, but everything that had been going on in the month when things started to become strained between Bella and me. I gave her more details about how depressed I became when I left Ohio and how I hid that depression from Bella so she wouldn't worry and to protect her. How our conversations had become strained because I was pushing her away, which just made my depression worse. How I felt her slipping away. I finished with my most fatal flaw, that I never told Bella about the prior relationship, however disastrous in the end, I had with Tanya.

Alice shook her head in sorrow. "Oh, Edward, how could you be so foolish? You are constantly in the public eye and your relationship with Tanya was well publicized. Even without that mess with the photos or the interview, how could you let her find out that way? How do you think she felt to find out about that, about that part of your history, on the Internet?"

I hung my head with shame. "Like crap. And I'm sure she thought that if I didn't tell her about Tanya, what else could I be hiding?"

"Exactly. Despite your celebrity status, there is still a lot about you that is private that she won't know about until you choose to tell her. However, you have to be up front with her about the things she can find online. You should have been the one to tell her, to give her the story first and foremost from the most reliable source."

I sighed. "I'd love to come clean with her if she ever talks to me again."

Alice looked off in the distance. She ate her breakfast in comfortable silence as she thought. Suddenly she broke into a huge smile. "You need some kind of gesture that shows you are sorry and that Tanya was lying."

"How?" I asked helplessly. "I already know I need to talk to her but she won't answer her damn phone!" We had gone over this already. I didn't understand where she was going with this.

"Do your own interview. Set the record straight."

She made it sound so simple. I _hated_ doing interviews. I did as few as I could get away with doing. Most importantly, there was no way to ensure that Bella actually saw this interview that Alice proposed.

"It takes time to set those up, Alice. And, Bella still has to watch the interview for this plan of yours to work."

She looked at me like I was slow in the head. "I'm sure you could persuade one of those entertainment companies to do a last minute interview with the notoriously publicity-shy Edward Cullen. They are always asking you to do them. Maybe you could use the same company that Tanya used."

"Okay, but that still doesn't mean Bella will watch it."

She smiled slyly. "Leave that part to me."

"Alice...." I warned. Sometimes her plans ended up blowing up in her face, and anyone else who she roped into helping her.

She giggled. "I've always wanted to visit Ohio."

I rolled my eyes and tried to keep the hope from building up in my heart. I quickly ate another bite of my breakfast before pushing the plate away, stuffed.

"Fine, I'll check with Jane and see what she can set up. She has contacts everywhere in this damn city."

**A/N Ooo what does Alice have planned? **

**Come join us in the thread for BFTO:** **www (dot) twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**


	14. Chapter 14: Pixiedust

**A/N Special thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Fourteen: Pixiedust**

**BPOV**

The next day was like any ordinary Sunday. All the good church-going folks were in their Sunday best after sitting through services. The rest of us heathens went about our day -- extra special heathens like myself at work. I was never much of a church-goer. My mom would take me occasionally when I was young, but we never went to the same church more than a few times. She wanted to expose me to all the possibilities out there. When I moved to Ohio, I was relieved of the trips to various churches. Charlie was not an outwardly religious man. If he believed in anything, it was not something he talked about. The closest thing I ever got to a religious discussion with Charlie was when he would say grace over our holiday dinners.

This particular morning I almost felt like praying for deliverance from my nightmares. I dreamed about Edward and Tanya again and felt the despair suck me in. It was not a happy place. All I heard was the sound of Tanya kissing Edward and her laughter. I woke up in the middle of the night screaming. I crawled out of bed as I shook off the vestiges of the nightmare. Slowly, I padded into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle from the liquor cabinet. Two swift gulps later, I felt the calming warmth of whatever bottle I grabbed. I put the bottle back and returned to my bedroom. The alcohol helped settle my nerves and I was able to fall back into a dreamless sleep until my alarm went off.

My truck rolled to a stop in the gravel parking lot of the Midnight Sun_._ _Just another day._ Jacob and Angela were already there, just like the day before. _I should really give them a raise. They have worked so hard recently without complaint._ When I walked in, all the tables and chairs had been set up, and I could hear someone filling the ice bucket for the front cooler. I smiled as I walked into my office and tossed out the bottle that was still sitting on my desk. It was almost empty. I really needed to stop drinking so much. Sitting down, I opened my file cabinet and pulled out Angela and Jacob's employee files. I quickly updated their payroll information with their raises then I typed up a congratulatory letter to each of them. After I carefully folded each letter and put them in envelopes, I gathered my ongoing research about the restaurant addition project and put it on top of my 'to do' list for the day. I heard a few more people come in, so I went back to the front of the bar to help finish the day's prep before opening.

Angela and Jacob were quietly talking by the bar as I approached. I handed them their envelopes with a big smile on my face. They both looked at me with matching quizzical expressions.

"Just open them," I laughed. I needed some happiness after my last couple of days… well weeks if I really thought about it.

They opened their envelopes like kids at Christmas. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the expressions on their faces as they read the letters. When they were both done, their huge smiles were reflected on each others faces as they both tried to hug me at the same time. I wrapped my arms around my two closest friends.

"Thank you, Bella!"

"Thanks, Bells!"

My smile was almost as big as theirs. "You're welcome! You both deserve it. I've put a lot on your plates these last several months and you both have handled everything beautifully. That kind of hard work and dedication deserves to be rewarded. Before you leave today, I'll need you to sign the official paperwork for your files."

They nodded and thanked me again before we opened the bar for the day.

Our Sunday crowd was slightly different from the clientele we had during the rest of the week. We had some of the same regulars, but those diehards that came in on Sundays were usually functioning alcoholics. The real fun ones were the patrons who came by after church, still in their skirts and suits. They tended to drink more, drowning their sins in alcohol in the hopes of Salvation, Salvation named Jack Daniels.

The diehards and Salvation seekers started trickling in. Sundays were almost always predictable and fairly boring. I kept thinking about Edward and that last conversation we had. It made me think of all the other conversations we had had over the past three months. I slowly began to pick the conversations apart to see if I could find some point when things really changed. I couldn't. Our conversations had become shorter and a bit more strained, but the overall feeling behind them, the love we felt for each other, had not changed. It was frustrating to have that strain but the feeling still there. That's what made the whole Tanya thing so hard to believe because it seemed so far out of left field. I wished my feelings for Edward weren't as strong as they were so this situation would be more cut and dry. It would be easier to deal with that way. I sighed.

"Man troubles?"

I was startled out of my thoughts by a beautiful petite woman sitting in front of me at the bar. I was surprised I didn't hear her come in as I normally kept a good eye on the door. She looked up at me, a hint of a smile on her face, with an open and friendly expression. Her skin was pale and clear with high and delicate cheekbones giving her an almost elfin look. Her piercing, pale blue eyes had this mischievous twinkle in them that was hard to resist. I had no idea who this woman was, but I liked her instantly.

"You could say that," I grudgingly admitted.

She cocked her head to the side like she was considering something. Her black spiky hair stood out in all directions, like she had stuck her finger in an electrical socket then gelled it into place. On any other woman, this look would be totally and completely horrible. On her, it was perfect. The style highlighted her graceful facial features. This was not a style you typically saw in little small-town Vermilion. Her blue eyes danced as she looked around the bar.

"You have a nice place here," she commented idly, still looking around the partially filled room.

"Thanks. Can I get you something to drink?"

The woman smiled, her warm gaze now raking me over. "I'll have a vodka and cranberry juice."

I nodded and started assembling her drink.

"I'm Mary, by the way," she prompted, smiling from ear to ear.

"I'm Bella. Welcome to the Midnight Sun."

Mary grinned broadly at me. It was like she already knew me or knew something. Something kept nagging my mind as I looked at her, but I pushed it aside. I gave Mary her drink before I started looking too odd just standing there with a drink in my hand. Afterwards, I went to help other patrons at the bar.

When I walked by Mary a few minutes later, she spoke again, "So, how long have you been open?"

"Just a few years. It was pretty scary starting a business being so young but it has been very rewarding."

Mary nodded as she sipped her drink.

"What kind of work do you do, Mary?" I inquired politely.

"I'm a wedding planner. I just started my business a year ago myself after I graduated from college."

"Well, congratulations Mary! Businesswomen need to stick together so the drink is on the house." I couldn't help but grin. Mary seemed like a person I would like to get to know better. "Where did you go to college?"

"University of Washington. I majored in Art & Design and was able to apply that to my natural business savvy," she boasted.

"Really? That's great. I graduated from Ohio State University in Columbus. Seeing as I don't have your savvy, I had to go to school to learn business," I teased with a smile.

"Well, not everyone can be as naturally gifted as I am," Mary said loftily but with a smile so I knew she was teasing me back. I threw a cocktail napkin at her.

"Nice, Mary. I see they taught you modesty as well."

"But, of course!" She batted her eyelashes at me and we both burst out in giggles.

"So are you from Washington?" I asked, after we had finally stopped laughing.

"Yes," Mary gasped as she tried to catch her breath. "I live in Seattle with my fiancé."

"Wow, are you definitely far from home," I commented. "What brings you all the way to Ohio?"

"Oh I have some family stuff I needed to take care of," she said off-handedly.

I nodded as I excused myself to take care of some drink orders further down the bar. Despite my gloom over what happened with Edward, Mary made me smile. _This day might go better than I originally thought._

As I returned, Mary looked at me for a moment before speaking.

"What kind of man troubles?"

I sighed. I noticed a nice, shiny engagement ring sparkling on her left hand. _Not the kind of troubles you would know anything about._

"Just me being delusional."

"How so?"

"It's complicated," I hedged.

"I think I can keep up," Mary encouraged with a warm smile on her face.

I wasn't by nature a chatty person, but I had learned how to turn it on when needed as I worked. Bartenders often became psychologists to their patrons as the alcohol lowered verbal filters and life stories were discussed. So I had gotten used to sharing small snippets of my life that I felt comfortable with sharing with strangers. Mary was different though, she had this way about her that made me want to really talk to her and not the typical bartender small talk. We hadn't exchanged much yet, but it was like I just knew we would be friends. It was strange to feel a bond with someone I had just met. It was like what I had always imagined having a sister would feel like. I wanted to tell her everything, not just about Edward, but about me and what got me to where I was, and what my dreams were for tomorrow. I had this strange feeling that she wanted to tell me the same about her life too. My natural shyness kicked in before I gave her my whole life story, so I told her the abridged cliff notes version of what had been going on the past three months of my life.

"I fell in love with the most amazing man I have ever known, but he was completely out of my league. He said he felt the same for me, despite how different our lives and situations were. But when he went back home, he hooked up with an ex-girlfriend." _Was that really all it was? Could the past three months of my life be wrapped up in three sentences?_

"When did you find out about the ex-girlfriend?"

"Friday morning after I got up. It was a part of our routine to talk every morning. I was on the phone with him when his ex, well now I guess his current girlfriend, walked into the room and began making out with him while we were still on the phone."

Mary looked at me sympathetically. "What did he have to say for himself?"

I shrugged. "I honestly am not really sure. I was so upset that I just kept yelling at him. He tried to speak; I think I even heard him tell his girlfriend to stop. I'm not really sure. I was so humiliated and hurt and pissed that I just kept yelling. Then I hung up on him."

"Did he try to call you back?"

"I don't know. I threw my phone against the wall as soon as I hung up on him, and it shattered."

Mary's perfect eyebrows arched, impressed. "You would like my sister-in-law. She has an incredible temper. Anything breakable needs to be removed from the room when she's on one of her tirades."

I hung my head a little in embarrassment. The show of emotion that brought about throwing the cell phone was not normal for me. "I'm not usually like that. I normally don't lose control of my temper. I got a new phone and number yesterday so hopefully I won't break this one."

Mary looked puzzled. Her eyes tightened too, like she was angry but I had no idea what she would be angry about. Maybe she was big into conservation and the unneeded destruction of a cell phone bothered her. I shrugged. It seemed silly and I probably just misread her expression.

"Why would you change your number?" she asked.

"I didn't want to talk to him. I was afraid he'd try calling me back."

"Maybe he would have been able to explain himself," Mary said softly with a look I could not identify on her face.

"And maybe he would just reconfirm that he didn't love me anymore, but was too much of a chicken-shit to tell me to my face. Then I would have to deal with his rejection all over again," I retorted, my voice trembling slightly with emotion. I could feel my stomach clenching up again.

Mary's eyes softened. "You're afraid. You are avoiding him because you are afraid of what could happen."

I looked at Mary in surprise. "I'm not avoiding anything," I replied angrily. "I'm not the one who went back to a previous relationship without ending the one I was currently in. If he wants to talk to me so badly to explain the kissing or the photos, then he could've called me here. Or he could man up and come here to tell me personally to my face."

"But if you wouldn't return his calls, maybe he thought you really didn't want to talk to him after all," she countered.

"You're assuming he has tried to call. I DON'T want to talk to him. Whose side are you on anyway? You talk as if you know the guy." My eyes flashed. I was starting to get pissed, even if she seemed like she could quickly be my closest friend in no time.

Mary shook her head with a soft smile on her face. "I don't believe you."

I huffed. "Whatever. I have work to do." I walked away to get more cases of beer from the back stockroom. When I returned with the dolly laden with beer, Mary was still there on her barstool. She watched me work without speaking, occasionally sipping her drink. When I was done and was wiping the bar down, Mary turned to me again.

"How did you meet him?"

I looked at Mary again, trying to figure out why she was so damned curious about my love life. Why would a woman who was happily engaged care about another woman's problems? The pull to confide in her was still there, but all this sudden curiosity was strange. I decided to roll with it. It wasn't like I was going to see this woman ever again after today. She didn't seem like the barfly type based on her behavior and dress, and she wasn't from around here.

"We met here. He walked into the bar one night looking lost and confused. We started talking and didn't stop all night. He and I even danced together and I don't dance. Something just clicked between us and we became inseparable."

"But he left…" Mary said it not so much as a question but a continuation of the story from our earlier conversation.

"Yes, he had to go back to California. We were going to try to see each other when we could, schedules permitting, but I haven't seen him since he left over two months ago."

"But you talked on the phone, right?" she asked.

I nodded. "Every day. No matter what we had going on that day, we always talked at least once a day and texted constantly."

"And now you haven't heard a peep since Friday."

I nodded again.

Mary tapped her manicured fingers to her lips as she thought. After about thirty seconds, she flashed me a wide, knowing smile. "You need some retail therapy."

"What? Like shopping?" I crinkled my nose in disgust at the idea of shopping anywhere with anyone. My version of therapy involved alcohol, chocolate, and a good book.

"Yes, like shopping!" Mary started bouncing in her seat. "It'll be so much fun! Please say you will go! Please?" she begged.

I had only known this small, hyper woman for all of an hour or so, but her pleading gaze could not be denied. As with Edward, I felt safe with her, like I could trust her. _Although, in hindsight, that feeling did not seem to get me very far with Edward_. She also felt like the sister I never had.

"Fine," I caved. "When do you want to subjugate me to this torture?"

Mary jumped up from her chair in excitement. I think she would've hugged me if the bar wasn't in the way. "How does 9 a.m. tomorrow sound?

I shuddered. _9 a.m.? Seriously?_ "You do realize that I usually work till about 3 a.m., don't you?"

Mary giggled. I had a sinking feeling she had a plan that I wasn't privy to that involved me. "Can you get out early tonight so you can get enough sleep? We don't want you to be sleep shopping tomorrow. Think of the horrible things you may buy inadvertently!" Mary wrinkled her nose at that idea.

I rolled my eyes. "Mary, I can't just ask my crew to close up for me because I want to go home early. I've put them through enough the past few days."

Right at that moment, Angela walked by and overheard our conversation. She turned towards us and smiled at Mary. "Hi, I'm Angela. I'm Bella's manager here." She extended a hand to Mary.

Mary gently shook Angela's hand. "I'm Mary."

Angela turned to me as she started speaking. "If you want to go shopping tomorrow, I can close up here so you can get out early. You need to get out a little and do something with someone who is not affiliated with this place, even as awesome as this place is."

I gaped at Angela. I never expected one of my closest friends to hand me over to the devil incarnate for the worst kind of torture so quickly.

Mary clapped her hands, even more excited than she was before. "Great! That settles it. Bella, meet me here at 9 a.m. tomorrow and come prepared to shop. Tomorrow is going to be so much fun!"

I glared at Angela as she looked at me happily without a shred of guilt for throwing me to the wolves.

"What? Mary seems like a real nice person, and you could use some time away from here, even just for a day," Angela stated soothingly. She looked at me again, like she was reading me. _Damn me for being such an open book._ "In fact, why don't you just head out now and enjoy your evening?"

"I have work to do," I protested. "I have more research to do for the restaurant addition."

"Restaurant?" Mary piped up.

"Yeah, I want to add a restaurant to the Midnight Sun so I've been doing research for the past several months."

"That's a great idea, Bella."

"Thank you, Mary. It's been a part of my dream along with getting this bar. Buying the bar was the first step." I looked around my bar with a smile. I envisioned how the restaurant would look and what we would need to expand to accommodate the extra people. A larger venue would help get some better bands in here than the drivel I had been able to find.

"So, Bella, take your research with you. You could probably get more done elsewhere without all the distractions here," Angela offered. "It's starting to slow down anyway. We'll be okay for the rest of the night without you."

I glanced at Angela unconvinced. Before Edward, I **never** left the bar early or called off. I took scheduled days off, sure, but that was it. I certainly never ever blew off the rest of the day on a whim. I wouldn't expect my employees to do that so I felt I couldn't do it either.

"Bella, we'll be fine, honest. You trained us well," she encouraged.

I finally relented, my shoulders sagging slightly in defeat. "Fine." I turned to Mary, "Before I go, would you like the tour of the place, Mary?"

Mary nodded and met me at the end of the bar.

"There isn't much more to this place," I started as we walked toward the back. "My office is over there and our store rooms and ice maker are over there." I gestured to a large machine that was whirling faintly, slowly making more ice and a large insulated steel door next to it. The back area was only for employees and contained paper supplies and other odds and ends the staff would need. "And over here we have our very small kitchen where we serve a very limited amount of food." The kitchen indeed was quite small. It was not really a commercial grade kitchen, just appliances thrown together so we could serve some kind of food and still pass the state inspections.

Mary nodded, taking in everything. She seemed quite interested in it all. I wondered more about what her job entailed., being a wedding planner sounded like it could be interesting. We never really talked about anything except me. I needed to change that, I wanted to find out more about this hyper, but oddly nice, woman before I voluntarily went shopping with her tomorrow. We walked into my small office and I grabbed my restaurant research from my desk.

Mary was staring at a picture I had on top of a file cabinet in the corner. I sighed sadly; I had forgotten that the picture was there. "That's him," I confirmed. "We were at the carnival and had our pictures taken in one of those photo booth things." The picture frame held three small wallet-sized black and white pictures of Edward and me making goofy faces.

"You two look, like you were having a lot of fun that day."

"We did. It was a lot of fun. He won a stuffed animal for me while we were there, too," I murmured, thinking of Anthony lying on my bed.

Mary smiled sweetly and gave me a quick hug. "It'll be alright, Bella. I just know it will."

I froze when she hugged me. I wasn't used to people I just met being touchy-feely. However, Mary seemed to be that kind of person. _I think I can deal with it….maybe._

"Well, this is all I need to continue my research at home." I took a deep breath before speaking again. I still wasn't sure about this idea but this was fairly mild compared to inviting a man I barely knew to stay at my home like I had done a lifetime ago. "Are you hungry? Would you like to get a bite to eat?"

Mary's smile now stretched from ear to ear. "Sure, that would be great!" She practically skipped out of my office in her excitement. I followed behind her at a much more normal pace.

I waved goodbye to Angela and Jacob as we walked out of the bar and into the cold November evening. There was a crispness to the air that only came right before a snowfall. Snow wasn't in the forecast for a couple of days, but you could feel it coming. Spring was always my favorite season, but there was something about this kind of smell in the air that was awesome. It reminded me of school, of football games and bonfires. _Good memories._

Mary was looking at me as I came out of my reverie. I blushed, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I got lost in my thoughts a little bit. I love the way the air in the fall smells. It's like you can smell the snow."

The other woman nodded. "So where do you want to eat?"

I looked at the time on my cell phone. "At this time of night, only the diners are going to still be open. Where is your car?"

"I don't have one. I took a cab here."

"Really? Why?" The Midnight Sun was not in an area where cab traffic was prevalent. In fact, it was unusual to see a cab in Vermilion, period.

"I was told this was a good place to go for a drink," she replied somewhat cryptically.

"Well, alrighty then. My truck is right over here. Denny's is only about fifteen minutes from here. You okay with Denny's?"

Mary nodded but didn't seem real thrilled about it.

Yes, Vermilion was small enough that it currently did not have a 24/7 diner. We had one from time to time, but they usually closed for one reason or another… drug problems, health code violations, or lack of business. So I preferred to go with the chain diners that were in the next city over. Denny's was always a good place to go for a bite after a late night or really anytime.

Mary followed me to my truck and her eyebrow quirked at the sight of it. "Wow… that is quite a vehicle, Bella. Ever consider getting a car that was built during this decade or even this quarter of a century?"

I smiled; I was used to my truck getting picked on when someone saw it for the first time. "Hey, don't hate on the truck. I love my old tank. She's been good to me." I patted the metal fender with affection. They just didn't build them like that anymore.

We climbed in and made our way to Denny's. While I drove, I finally got to ask Mary some questions about her instead of her asking all the questions about me. She told me she was here for a few days for family reasons. Mary didn't explain further, and I didn't feel comfortable asking for more detail. If it was due to the passing of a family member, I didn't want to appear insensitive. Although, that would be odd because she seemed to be in a fairly good mood if that was the reason she was here.

Mary and I were quickly seated at the diner. Sunday nights didn't appear to be as busy as it was at my bar. As we sat, the sparkle from Mary's engagement ring glinted in my eyes.

"How long have you been engaged?" I asked.

Mary's face broke into the biggest cheese ball grin I had ever seen on a woman. "About six months. I'm so excited!"

"Have you set a date yet?"

"Yes, in May of next year, just before Memorial Day."

"That's great, Mary. Congratulations! How did you meet your fiancé?"

"Jasper and I met through my older brother. They met in college. My brother dropped out during his sophomore year but stayed friends with Jasper. One night they had a party and my brother invited me. Apparently he had gotten this job he really wanted and was celebrating. I had only been there for a little while and was just relaxing when _he_ walked in: Jasper Whitlock. He is one of the finest looking men I have ever seen. I walked right over to him and asked him to dance. We've been pretty much inseparable since then." She was able to say that all in one breathe. I was impressed.

"Did Jasper finish college?"

Mary nodded happily. "Yes, thankfully! He is a counselor so it's definitely good he got his degree. He wouldn't be able to do what he does without his training."

We continued through dinner sharing stories of our childhoods, college, adulthood, stories of our friends, and anything else that our minds traveled to that night. It was incredible. Angela was my closest friend and I hadn't even share this much with her. I also learned that Mary never ever really stops. She was perpetually hyper. She only came down from her hyper state when she started talking about her brother's crazy ex-girlfriend. She got mad, and not just a little mad, but really, really, really mad. I was very glad that her anger was not directed at me. Mary did not like his ex-girlfriend at all and refused to speak her proper name, referring to her only as "Crazy."

When the check came, Mary grabbed it before I had a chance to get out my debit card. She bounced out of the booth declaring that since I agreed to go shopping with her tomorrow that she should cover dinner. I shrugged. Who would turn down a free meal?

As we drove back to her hotel, she asked about where the good places to shop could be found.

"It all depends on the kind of shopping you want to do. Around here, we have a lot of the typical box department stores but nothing really high-end or trendy. What kind of places did you want to go to?"

Mary looked horrified with the limited available shopping options here. "Well, I was hoping for something besides Sears or Dilliards…. Something that isn't a large department store… something that actually has some TASTE!" she said emphatically.

I laughed. Mary was SO in the wrong town for fashion. "We do have some high-end places on the other side of Cleveland in one of the more affluent areas. We could go there tomorrow morning. It's about an hour drive." I had only been to Beachwood Place a few times, but it was very nice. It was definitely more trendy and chic than what could be found at the malls around here.

"Oh, thank God!" Mary declared, relieved. "I was starting to think I was going to have to fly you home with me to get some good shopping in."

I laughed but was somewhat startled by her statement. We bonded pretty quickly, that was for sure. But, damn, flying out to God knows where just for shopping? _Only Mary_, I said to myself. I realized that I would probably be saying this a lot from now on. _Wait. This woman isn't from around here. I probably won't ever see her once she leaves._ I shook my head. My life had been a lot more interesting in the past three months than it had been in the past several years.

I dropped Mary off at her hotel and drove home while listening to the radio. Cleveland radio stations left something to be desired, but it was better than nothing. I never bothered to upgrade the old static-filled radio into something more modern with a CD player or satellite radio, so my only entertainment option was the radio.

Back in my familiar driveway, I grabbed my restaurant research and walked into my quiet house. It was rather dark and lonely feeling inside. I banished those thoughts from my mind and concentrated on my research. My biggest worry was the economy. Vermilion was not a large city so opening a restaurant was tricky. I had seen so many places open just to close within a few years. Someone else would buy the property and the cycle would repeat itself. I did not want that to happen to Midnight Sun or my yet unnamed restaurant.

I had been tracking other restaurants in similar environments as mine, watching their trends and ratings online. Some were doing really well, others not so much. I really needed to see what the successful ones were doing differently from the failing ones. Bigger companies would've probably hired a company to do market research but I didn't have that kind of money to spend, and I tended to be more hands on in my approach to my business. Maybe I would need to actually **go** to these places. _Hmmm….road trip!_ That idea really had some merit. I hadn't gone on a vacation in some time. This would be a good reason to go. _A__fter the holidays, once things calm down a little. _

A huge yawn shuddered through me as my body told me it finally had enough for the day. I turned my computer off and put my research into its folder. Peeling clothes off as I walked, I entered my bedroom and crawled under the covers. Closing my eyes, I wished for dreams free of nightmares.

My wishes were not granted that night, but the nightmares were not so horrible that they woke me up before my alarm went off. However, they were bad enough to make me look like I hadn't slept. _Great._ My brain scolded me for agreeing to get up so early to go shopping. I hadn't been up that early in a long time. For once I didn't have to wear my work clothes, so I settled for a comfy pair of well-loved and well-worn jeans and long-sleeved purple shirt with my favorite pair of Chucks. I had a feeling that dressing for comfort was going to be the only way I was going to survive Mary today.

Mary was waiting in the parking lot when I arrived to pick her up. She was moving side to side a little bit to stay warm in the cold November air. I hoped she hadn't been waiting long. The wind coming off the lake could be brutal in the winter. Without so much as a glance, she ran over and hopped in the truck as soon as I stopped. Her cheeks were rosy red and her eyes shined with anticipation as she held a small brown paper take-out bag in her hand. Mary reached in the bag and handed me a muffin.

"Can't shop without food first!" she declared happily.

I shook my head with a smile on my face as I took the proffered muffin. This woman was simply indescribable. Her Jasper must be truly something special to keep up with her. My stomach growled as I smelled the fruity goodness of the blueberry muffin. Before I pulled out of the lot, I had the wrapper peeled off and was happily munching on it.

"How did you guess that blueberry was my favorite?" I asked, half of the muffin already gone. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that my appetite was finally coming back. I hadn't eaten hardly anything in the past several days.

Mary smiled. "Lucky guess?"

The drive to Beachwood Place was surprisingly pleasant despite the early hour. Mary looked around quite a bit as we drove, taking in the scenery. To me, there wasn't that much to see. Ohio was not that exciting, especially driving through downtown Cleveland. She got to see all that Cleveland had to offer: some of the nicer parts, parts of downtown, parts of what remaining industry was left in the city, and the edge of some of the rougher areas of Cleveland. It was actually kind of funny that we had to skirt the border of Cleveland's rougher neighborhoods just to get to one of the affluent areas.

When we finally parked, the mall was just opening for the day. My old truck stuck out like a sore thumb around all the Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW's. I certainly got my share of looks by some of the ladies in the lot as I drove by. I merely shook my head. People who couldn't see past another's material possessions weren't worth my time. Mary was oblivious to all of the looks. She was too busy looking at each of the names of the stores, her smile getting bigger each time she found one that she really liked. I chuckled.

"Was this a good choice, Mary?" I had to ask even if I could easily tell what the answer was.

"Oooo yes! Thank you! Thank you! I know I wanted to take you out for retail therapy, so you should've picked the place… but this would be the only fitting place to do that."

She eagerly hopped out of the truck and almost ran towards the mall entrance. I only shook my head and said a little prayer as I walked in after Mary. _This could be a very long day._

Several hours later with at least a dozen bags between us, Mary and I emerged from Beachwood Place much lighter in the wallet than we were when we arrived. I didn't expect to enjoy myself, but it was a novel treat to go shopping with someone who actually knew about fashion. I wouldn't say it was going to be my favorite activity, but I thought I could learn to enjoy shopping once in a great while. My bank account couldn't handle shopping trips like these too often. Obviously Mary didn't have that problem, but that was okay. She was one of those rare people who weren't obnoxious about money. She had it; she used it, but didn't flaunt it… well not completely. Walking out of a high-end mall with an armful of bags from some of the more trendy stores definitely could be considered flaunting.

"Oh, Bella, that blue dress looked so gorgeous on you! And those jeans… any man within ten miles is going to drool when they see your butt in those jeans!" Mary gushed.

I rolled my eyes. "Thank you, Mary." The blue dress was gorgeous but I had no idea when I'd ever get a chance to wear it. It was a cocktail dress, but I hardly ever went anywhere that cocktail dresses were required. However, sometimes a girl just needed a pretty dress to help her feel better. I was a tomboy by nature but I still had my girly moments. The blue cocktail dress was my girly moment. The jeans were awesome; I had to agree with Mary on that. My butt looked great. I never really spent a lot of time looking at jeans. If they fit and weren't too baggy, I was happy. I considered changing my jean buying process. These were perfect, like they were molded for my body alone. I couldn't wait to wear them out somewhere.

"So, how much longer are you in town?" I asked as we drove home after stopping at one of the restaurants in Beachwood for lunch. It was now just after 2 p.m. I felt a little guilty about not being at work, but Angela knew where I was and knew I would be in eventually.

"Probably just for another day or so. I'm not really sure. It just depends on when my family stuff gets resolved," Mary replied, looking through her bags happily. If I knew better, I could've sworn I thought she was digging through her bags more than necessary, like she was avoiding looking me in the eye. I pushed that thought out of mind. I really didn't know her well enough to decipher if she was trying to avoid something, despite what my gut was telling me. I had no idea why she would be avoiding a more direct answer. What did she have to hide?

I also felt a pang of sadness, realizing that I would honestly miss her when she left. This little whirlwind of a woman had left a mark on my life that I would miss when she was gone. It was more than just the shopping. We just seemed to click; the friendship easy. Mary accepted me as I was, and I her. She definitely was more fashionable and trendy than I was, but she did not look down on my Chucks or anything. I hoped that she would be willing to exchange contact information so we could say in touch after she left. _Why does everyone I seem to care about leave?_

"What kind of stuff are you trying to resolve?" She had mentioned it a few times but never said really what it was. By this time, we had shared a lot about each other but not this. She knew about Jacob and all my shenanigans in college, about my relationship with my mother -- which brought me to tears momentarily while we were in the middle of BCBG -- and with my father and just about everything in between. She had shared a lot of things with me. She loved to talk about Jasper, that topic was good for a solid hour at least. She told me a little about growing up, that her parents were really great people, supportive and kind. Mary talked a little about her two brothers but didn't say much. I didn't pry. It sounded like she wasn't close to either one, so I didn't want to be rude and ask for more details.

However, the more I got to know Mary, the more things kept nagging my mind.

I didn't even notice that she never answered me. I looked over and she was looking back at me, concerned.

"Bella, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking too hard," I sighed.

She looked at me again, scrutinizing my face. "About what?"

"Nothing much" I said softly. I sighed and changed the subject.

"Have you picked out your wedding colors?"

Mary squealed and looked relieved at the subject change. "We are going with sea foam. It's such a calm shade of green. I love it." She went on with more of the details of her wedding. It was still months away but she had it planned down to a T. She stayed on the topic until we got close to her hotel room.

"Well, Mary, I need to go into work. Do you need me to take you anywhere before I take off?" It felt a little awkward asking, but she had been so nice to me the past two days and she didn't have any transportation of her own.

Mary cocked her head to the side -- something I noticed was a habit of hers when she was deep in thought. "How do you feel about make-overs?"

"Make-overs?"

"Yeah, this would be the perfect end to a morning of shopping. You have such awesome skin, Bella. I would love to give you a make-over and maybe do your hair."

Ordinarily, if someone I had met only the day before offered to give me a make-over, I would have scoffed and quickly left. I didn't do make-overs. I also didn't go shopping with someone I barely knew either, but Mary wasn't just anyone, she had quickly wormed her way into my heart and I couldn't deny her.

"I suppose, if you must," I ceded, grudgingly.

Mary squealed again. I started to wonder if she was part dolphin.

Forty-five minutes later, Mary was finishing my make-up as hot rollers set in my hair. I was amazed she was even trying the rollers. Anytime I tried to use them in the past I ended up with frizzy poodle-hair. It wasn't pretty, but I trusted Mary to know her way around hot rollers better than I did. She seemed to have a knack for these kinds of things. The joy she got from giving me a make-over also made me wonder if she took the wrong career path, or maybe her mother didn't let her play with dolls enough as a child.

"Oh, Bella, you look so good, even if you have to wear that horrible work outfit," Mary cried. She was clearly happy with her handiwork as she finished the last few touches to my make-up. Mary carefully began unrolling my hair. My head slowly became completely covered with soft curls. Within minutes, Mary had my hair styled in ways I could only dream to recreate. _She has truly missed her calling._ I only caught glimpses in the mirror as she turned me around on a swivel chair as she worked.

Finally done, she pulled me up to my feet and turned me to face the mirror by the bathroom of the hotel room. I barely recognize myself. I usually didn't wear much make-up so it was a surprise to see such smoky and sexy eyes staring back at me, surrounded by waves of soft, brown hair. Mary was the devil incarnate when it came to shopping but was an angel with hair. The front of my hair was pulled back out of my face and the ends came back around to frame my face. I was stunned.

"Mary… I don't know what to say," I whispered. _If only Edward could see me this way._ Thinking of him brought tears to my eyes and I bit my lip trying to keep them at bay. I didn't want to ruin all of Mary's hard work. _If I always looked like this, would I have been enough to keep him?_ I shook my head to rid myself of those thoughts and the unwanted tears. _If he really wanted me, then he would have stayed with me as I was, without me being glammed up._ I found the strength to keep the tears away, but Mary had witnessed the whole exchange across my face.

Her expression was understanding and sympathetic. "Let's get you ready for work."

"What are you going to do with the rest of your day?" I asked.

"I thought I'd hang out at Midnight Sun for awhile if that's okay."

"Sure, I'd love the company." Her presence would be welcome at the bar. Mary had quickly become a close friend and now I would get to spend a little more time with her before she left. "I still need to go home and change. Do you want to see my house?"

Mary jumped up and down. "I would LOVE to see your house, Bella! You've talked about it so much I can practically picture it in my mind."

I laughed as I gathered my purse and we headed out the door. A quick glance at my cell phone told me that happy hour was just starting. In another hour, I normally would have expected my flower delivery from Edward. A tremor went through me as I wondered if Edward would still send them. I doubted it, but I'd find out soon enough. Mary thankfully didn't seem to notice my mood change.

Mary loved my house. She went on and on about it as she walked through each and every room and touched practically everything. I followed the direction of her gaze as she looked at the pictures on my mantel. She stopped at the picture of Edward and me at the beach. It was such a happy day when that picture was taken, and I couldn't bring myself to take it down. Mary continued looking about the room and spied his guitar sitting in the corner propped up against the wall. After I hung up on him on Friday I had a momentary urge to throw the guitar against the wall too. Luckily for Edward, I had too much respect for music to destroy something that could create such beauty. Mary's gaze halted on the framed sheet music that hung on the wall. My lullaby. No matter what happened with Edward that would always remain a treasured gift. I had the sheet music framed shortly after Edward left for L.A. The shop I used to frame it was staffed by real professionals and they were able to mount the pages without using any adhesive so they could be removed if I wanted to take them out, possibly to be played again.

I dressed quickly and tried not to muss my hair too much in the process. Mary still needed to do some damage control to the front of my hair.

"There," Mary declared with satisfaction. "Nothing that a little hairspray can't fix."

Before I knew what I was doing, I wrapped my arms around Mary in a big hug. She had done so much for me in the past forty-eight hours. "Thank you, Mary," I said softy, "for everything. I really appreciate it."

She hugged me back and I was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "I'm happy to do it, Bella. You are a wonderful person and deserve some pampering."

"Will you stay in touch when you go back home?"

She smiled at me shyly, which was odd for someone as outgoing and bubbly as she was. "I'd really like that, Bella."

The day before, when I first met Mary, I never thought in a million years I would be here with her in my house, after shopping all morning and a makeover. I never thought I would've bared my soul to someone I had just met. _Wait, hadn't I done something similar with Edward?_ Granted, my feelings towards Mary were not even close to the type of feelings I had towards Edward, but they were strong and true. I felt closer to her than I felt to friends I had known for half my life.

"Great, I'd like that too." I gave Mary another quick hug before we left and headed to the bar.

Once again, I wasn't sure what to expect when I walked into the Midnight Sun. I didn't think anyone there had ever seen me dolled up the way I was today. Jacob whistled at me as I walked by and I couldn't help but grin hugely at him. Several of the male bar patrons eyed me appreciatively. Jessica about came out of her skin when she saw me.

"Bella?! IS THAT REALLY YOU?"

I winced as her shriek went up several octaves. I think I heard a dog howl in the distance. She came running over to the bar from her table with her hands flapping in the air. Mary arched a brow but said nothing as I grinned at her. I had already told her all about Jessica.

"Hi, Jessica. Yes, it is really me. This is apparently what happens when I allow a friend to give me a make-over."

Jessica was openly staring at me and it was starting to get a little weird. "Bella, I … wow. You look great. I mean, well, you never looked bad before, but damn. Why don't you wear make-up more often?"

I shrugged. "I'm more of a 'wash and go' kind of girl. I don't see the point in doing stuff like this all the time, and it's a pain to do every day. Plus, I really am not here to impress anyone with my looks. I'm here to run a bar and if someone wants to stare at supermodels, the magazines are in the men's room."

Mary choked, trying to hold back her laughter.

We strolled over to the bar as Jessica went back to her tables. Mary claimed her stool from the day before, and I took over behind the bar. Angela nodded at me, clearly impressed by my new look but didn't say anything. She was happy I got a day out to be a girl. The happiness in her eyes told me all I needed to know.

I had just gotten into the swing of things when I looked at the clock. It was past the time that Edward's flowers usually came. I couldn't help but glance at the door, hoping for the deliveryman to walk through. Edward usually ordered from the same place so it was usually the same person who delivered the flowers. I noticed that I wasn't the only one watching the door. Jacob and Angela kept sneaking glances towards the front door every couple of minutes. They both had worried looks on their faces. I tried to keep my face nonchalant. What did I expect after all? I had hung up on him after I found out he had gone back to his old girlfriend. Flowers at this point would just be mean. But as time went by, I couldn't help but get depressed. Mary was into her second vodka and cranberry drink when she noticed my face drooping.

"Bella, what's wrong, honey?"

"It's stupid, really. I don't know why I'm upset," I mumbled.

"What is it? What happened?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know why I thought he would, but he didn't. He didn't send me flowers," I said softly, my heart breaking all over again.

"Oh, honey, its okay," Mary murmured. She walked around the bar to me and wrapped her small arms around my waist.

"I didn't think he actually would, but I secretly hoped that he might." My voice shook. I hated being weak like this. I hated that he caused me to feel this weak without him.

Mary rubbed my back soothingly. "You really need to talk to him, Bella. You can't just let it hang like this."

I nodded slowly, dreading the call but knowing I needed to do it. "Maybe I'll call him tonight." My stomach clenched. "Maybe, I don't know. This sucks."

Mary continued to rub my back. Jacob had alerted Angela to my mini-breakdown, and she was quickly walking over to us from the kitchen.

"Bella, why don't we go and sit in your office for a few minutes?" Angela offered. She stood on the other side of me, making a Bella sandwich between her and Mary.

I shook my head. "No, I'll be okay. He is not going to break me." I shook myself all over, like I was ridding myself of the negative feelings. It helped me feel a little better. The pit of despair that had been following me since Friday was still there but it became a little more tolerable.

Angela and Mary were looking at each other. It looked like they were having a silent conversation just with their eyes. Angela nodded and gave me a quick hug before walking away. Mary detached herself from my side and sat back down on the other side of the bar. I could feel both of them watching me as I worked along the bar, refilling beers and pouring shots.

An hour or so went by and I was doing better at ignoring the fact that it was Monday. I had just come back from the store room with a dolly full of beer when I saw Mary and Angela messing with the television in the corner. The two of them together could not be up to anything good. I loaded up the front cooler as I tried to listen to them whisper in front of the television as they surfed through the stations.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked.

Both Mary and Angela whirled around. Mary had a better poker face than Angela did and was able to stand there and look at me like nothing was amiss. Angela looked guilty but her eyes were shining with excitement. _Odd._

"Oh, I am just trying to find this one television show that is supposed to be on tonight. There is an interview on there that I just have to watch," Mary said quickly. She turned back to the television and clapped happily when she finally found the right station. "Yes!" Mary scooted back over to her stool and dragged it closer to the television so she could see better.

"Who is getting interviewed?" I almost didn't want to know. The last interview I saw was not a pleasant one for me.

Mary and Angela looked at each other again. _What is going on between those two?_ Before I could demand an answer from someone, the show started.

The same interviewer who had done the piece on Tanya was on the screen. I groaned. She was talking about some of the things they were going to be covering on their show including a surprise last minute interview, with whom she wasn't saying yet.

"Mary, who is getting interviewed? You obviously must know if you knew this show was going to have it," I asked tersely.

Mary refused to look me in the eye. The little seeds of something that had been rooted at the back of my mind suddenly bloomed into full blown suspicion.

"Mary, what is your brother's name?" I asked quietly.

There were just so many coincidences between her and Edward. Edward had told me about his two younger siblings, Alice and Emmett, and the jobs they had. Edward had told me that Alice was a party planner. This Mary told me she was a wedding planner. Mary didn't really resemble Edward but it just seemed so strange. Edward had mentioned that Alice was engaged to a psychologist. The Mary sitting next to me was engaged to a counselor. My head started spinning and I suddenly had a headache. I rubbed my head and winced as the pounding continued.

Her head whipped around and her blue eyes looked distraught. "Please, Bella. Just watch," she begged.

Anger bubbled up inside of me as the truth finally broke through. My new friend Mary was Edward's sister, Alice. It was all clear to me now. She knew who I was this entire time. Why did she do all of this? Was this all fake? Did she even want to be my friend or was this just some ploy by Edward to see how miserable I was?

"Why should I, Mary, or should I say _Alice_? What was all of this about? The past two days when you pretended to be my friend? Was this just some game that Edward put you up to do? I told you things that I have only told a few people. I trusted you," I hissed, anger and betrayal burning inside of me.

"You can trust me, Bella, and my name _is _Mary – Mary Alice. I honestly wanted to get to know you, and spending time with you like we have allowed me to do that. This is most definitely not a game. Please, just watch," she implored quietly. I looked over at Angela who was nodding her head in agreement.

"You're in on this too?" I spat at her.

Angela looked down at her hands and fidgeted nervously. "Please, Bella," she whispered.

I wanted to run out of there that moment and never come back. For some reason, maybe curiosity, maybe because I was a glutton for punishment, I stayed. I hoped I wouldn't regret it.

The show came back on and a few unimportant segments came and went. The three of us crowded around the television as the next segment started, the big secret interview.

"_Today, we have a special treat for you. Our surprise guest typically does not give interviews. He is here today to clear up some misunderstandings that were aired a week ago on this program. He wanted to tell his side of the story. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, actor and musician, Mr. Edward Cullen." _

The camera panned out, taking in the whole room. Sitting across from her, looking incredibly sad and forlorn, was Edward. _My _Edward. I gasped at the sight of him. Even when he first arrived at Midnight Sunall those months ago, he didn't look this miserable.

"_Welcome to the program, Edward."_

"_Thank you, Amanda." Edward's voice was sad but just as velvety as it was when I last spoke with him._

"_First, let's discuss your newest movie that you are filming. How has that been going?" Amanda asked._

"_Grueling, but good. We are almost done. After the Thanksgiving break, we will only need a few more weeks and the actors are off the hook. The rest of the production crew won't be so lucky," he laughed lightly but his mirth didn't reach his eyes._

"_That's good to hear. Do you get along well with your co-stars?"_

_Edward winced. "Eh, mostly. One of my close friends is Seth Clearwater so it has been fun working with him. He has been helping me deal with some issues."_

_Amanda did not inquire about what exactly the issues were, but merely nodded and chose a different approach. "Tanya Denali is also one of your co-stars and is your romantic interest in the movie."_

_Edward nodded but did not elaborate._

"_Last week, Tanya made some claims on this program about your renewed relationship with her. Would you like to comment on that?"_

_That question got Edward's undivided attention. He sat up straight and his eyes bored into the camera. "Yes, yes I would like to comment on that, Amanda. Her claims are completely and absolutely false. The only relationship," he sneered as he said relationship, "I have with Tanya is that she is my co-star. I am not nor will I ever be romantically involved with her." His voice held a note of finality. _

I gasped at his admission. _But how?_ I was incredibly confused.

Amanda continued.

"_So are you currently in a relationship?"_

_Edward's face looked pained; his brilliant green eyes looked raw like he was deeply hurting. "Yeees…" his voice shook slightly. "At least I was. When Tanya's interview came out, it was…..disruptive."_

_Amanda's eyes softened as she leaned closer to Edward. The camera followed her movement and closed the angle of the shot. "What happened, Edward?"_

"_She came upon an article that revealed my previous relationship with Tanya from several years ago. Unfortunately, I had foolishly not revealed that to her yet. She was understandably upset about that. In her search for information, she came across Tanya's interview from last week and pictures from when Tanya and I went out for coffee. The nails in the coffin of our relationship were some mistagged pictures of Tanya and me. Our next conversation did not go well."_

_Amanda nodded. "What was the story with the coffee shop? If there wasn't a relationship, then why was Tanya holding your hand?"_

_Edward's face clouded over with anger. "That was a big, big mistake. We had met to go over a particular scene. At least, that's what I thought we were meeting to go over. Tanya apparently had other plans. It was a huge mistake." It seemed like he wanted to say more but held back._

"_And the mistagged pictures?" Amanda prompted._

"_A fan had posted some pictures of Tanya and me making out on her celebrity blog with the tagline that they confirmed a relationship between us. Unfortunately, those pictures were from the movie set of us doing a love scene. Those photos were the ones that she found."_

As he spoke, the same pictures I saw online appeared on the screen. This time, the full set of pictures were displayed, including shots of Edward talking to the director with his script in his hand, parts of the set that are usually off-camera, set staff standing around. My heart was pounding in my chest. I couldn't believe this was happening. These were all the things that Edward had tried to tell me, but I was too stubborn to listen to him. I was too determined to believe that he really would leave me.

_Amanda looked at her notes a bit more before she asked another question. "So, what about this mystery girl? Tell us about her. Where did you meet her?"_

_Edward's face beamed now. He smiled hugely, his eyes shining. "She's the most amazing person I have ever met. She is beautiful and smart and intelligent. I love her."_

"_What's her name?" Amanda prompted._

I held my breath.

"_Bella," he said softly._

Edward's voice continued while my head spun. My heart was beating so hard I'm surprised the whole room didn't hear it. My vision started to get blurry. I realized I had been holding my breath. Overcome, I took several deep breaths to try to steady myself_. _

"_Have you spoken with her since that conversation after she found the photos?" Amanda asked softly._

"_No," Edward replied sadly._

"_Well, what would you say to her if she was here right now? Maybe she's watching the program and will hear you," Amanda prompted hopefully._

_The camera closed in to completely frame Edward's face. He looked very nervous. Edward fidgeted for a moment before he looked into the camera and spoke earnestly._

"_I would tell Bella that I love her more than anyone else in the world. She has become everything to me. I would tell her how sorry I am, that I hope she will forgive me for not telling her everything, for holding back and pushing her away, for being stupid. I would tell her that I miss her terribly."_

I felt tears coursing down my face. Angela and Alice were by my side again, each one with an arm around my waist. They had tears in their eyes as they watched Edward's interview.

_Amanda spoke again, but the camera remained on Edward. "Anything else that you'd like to say, Edward?"_

_He took a deep breath and looked directly into the camera again. "Bella, I love you. I love you so much I can't see straight. I'm sorry. I love you."_

I could've sworn that I heard Edward's last statement like he was right behind me. _Now I'm hearing things_. I shook my head to try to clear my thoughts as Alice and Angela slowly stepped away from me. I couldn't focus on the television anymore so I turned away from the screen to come face to face with the very same green eyes that I had missed and dreamed about the past two months. My hand shook as I raised it to my lips in shock.

"E-Ed-Edward?" I stuttered, my heart in my mouth.

* * *

**A/N Gah! He's there!! Please review… and as always, teasers for the next chapter will be given with reviews. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. ****Come join us in the thread for BFTO:****www (dot) twilighted (dot) ****net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**

**Special note to my anon reviewers... I'd love to be able to reply to you and send you a teaser but I can't if you don't sign in or provide your email address! :) If you would prefer to not get a teaser, please just put a note in the review and I won't send it. :) Regardless, I still appreciate all my reviewers! :D**


	15. Chapter 15: Wonderland

******A/N Special thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight. Special shoutout to my friend Amydee who has been a huge support for me.**

**Chapter Fifteen: Wonderland**

**BPOV**

"Bella," he said softly, his voice wrapping around me like a glove. "I love you. I'm so sorry."

I squeezed my eyes shut hard. I had to be dreaming. Edward really wasn't here. He couldn't be here. I slowly opened my eyes and he still stood before me. He looked at me nervously. I finally noticed that he had something in his hands. Edward was holding a bouquet of flowers, all Gerber daises in a variety of colors. He extended the flowers to me, his hands shaking slightly. I could hear the program finishing in the background. It no longer held my interest.

I took the proffered flowers and smiled internally. It was hard not to be happy with a handful of Gerber daises. I looked back at Edward, my mind going a mile a minute, still amazed that he was standing in front of me. "How? What is going on? How are you here?" Of all the things I could say, this is what my mind came up with. I felt like an idiot.

Edward's lips curved on one side into his trademarked crooked smile. "Airplane," was his droll response.

I rolled my eyes. _Duh._ But with the question I asked, what other kind of response could I expect? I tried to gather my scattered thoughts a little better before I spoke again. "What I meant was, why are you here? Or more specifically, don't you have a movie to do?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose as he gathered his thoughts. "I am here because you deserve an explanation, and I need to make this right. I love you too much not fight for us. As for the movie, the director was satisfied with the progress we have made and gave us the week off for the holiday."

I took a deep breath. This was all too incredible to be happening to me. I was ordinary. An ordinary woman did not have an insanely gorgeous man pledging his love on national television. An ordinary woman did not have said insanely gorgeous man fly all the way from his movie in Hollywood just to say his was sorry with a handful of flowers. My heart swelled with the knowledge of how much he truly did love me, but my head tempered my heart. We still had issues to resolve. No love in the world can grow if the hearts aren't honest with one another.

"Thank you, Edward," I whispered. "We need to talk tonight. I just got here a few hours ago so I can't leave, but please stick around and we'll talk when I'm done for the night."

Edward didn't need any further encouragement. He plopped down at the nearest barstool. Alice sighed happily and walked over to me to give me a hug. I stiffened and shrugged off her embrace before taking a step back from her. She looked up at me with hurt in her blue eyes. Anger bubbled up inside of me.

"You manipulated me, Alice. You came here and befriended me, but for what reason? When you came here, I didn't know you from Adam, but you apparently knew plenty about me! Family issues my ass," I whispered harshly. An idea popped in my head. I whirled on Edward, my anger and hurt lashing out at him. "You put her up to this, didn't you?"

His eyes widened in shock. "No I didn't put her up to anything! She and I met up on Saturday because I needed some advice on how to fix things. She wanted to come here to meet you."

"But you knew," I accused, my eyes blazing.

He nodded sadly as he fidgeted with his fingers. Alice sat down next to him with a sigh, eyes staring at the floor.

"Bella, let me explain," Alice said quietly.

"Arugh!" I yelled suddenly, all of the stress that had built up erupting inside of me.

About half the bar turned and looked at me quizzically, surprised at my outburst. I just realized that the last fifteen minutes had passed in relative obscurity. Only the people that were seated around us at the bar really saw what had been going on. I got several sympathetic but curious glances from the patrons around me. A few more were looking at Edward speculatively. I blushed, embarrassed and even angrier than I was before that my personal life now had become center stage for everyone to see. I spun on my heel and stomped into my office, slamming the door soundly.

When I was in the safe confines of my office, I glanced down at the flowers I still had in my mind. I contemplated throwing them out, but I couldn't. He brought me my favorite flower in every color that they came in. I still loved Edward, even if I was royally pissed at him. I didn't have anything in my office to put them in, but they would be alright for a little bit longer out of water. I wasn't ready to go back out there yet and deal with anyone or anything.

So, because I wanted some piece and quiet, I heard tapping on my door. I ignored it. Not even a minute later I heard the tapping again. Knowing that I wasn't going to get any sort of respite in the near future, I walked over to the door and opened it. Angela stood there, looking sheepish. I could see Alice and Edward both a few feet behind her, looking over her shoulder anxiously. Edward dragged a hand nervously through his hair. Music from the bar trickled in. Someone was laughing.

"Angela," I said quietly. She walked in slowly, her eyes large as she watched me. I closed the door before Alice and Edward could try to walk in.

"Bella, please don't be mad at them," she said softly, pleading with me.

"You know why I'm mad at Edward," I reminded her. I sat on my desk while she stood in the middle of my office. She tugged on a strand of her long black hair.

"I know, he didn't tell you about Tanya but he's trying to fix it. And Alice-"

I cut her off. "Alice lied to me. I had no idea who she was when she came here yesterday, but she knew all about me. This was all a rouse, for what purpose I haven't figured out yet."

"Yes, she may have not been completely up front with you, but if she had, would you have listened?"

Angela had me there. "Probably not," I admitted.

"So let her try to explain herself first before you pass judgment. She told me what she was trying to do yesterday, that's why I was so encouraging of her to take you shopping."

"You were in on this farce of a friendship too?" I asked incredulously. The world was against me. Everyone seemed to be in on some plan to mess with my head.

"It's not a farce. Alice genuinely likes you. She originally came here to test the waters for Edward, to see if you would be receptive to him coming back. The rest of it was not planned," Angela continued.

I shook my head. This was all too surreal. "Please leave me alone, Angela. Can you do something with these?" I handed her my flowers without looking her. I sat down in my chair with a sigh and rested my head in my hands.

Angela quietly took my flowers and left the room, closing the door behind her. I heard murmurs behind the door but I could not make out what was being said. Right then, I wished I hadn't thrown out the bottle of alcohol I had stashed in here before.

I'm not sure how much time had passed, but it could not have been very long. Music was still playing in the bar when I heard the door to my office open. Footsteps slowly made their way in as the door shut. They continued their path until they stopped a few feet behind my chair. I refused to turn around and acknowledge who had entered, knowing full well who the person was..

Two strong hands gently but firmly whirled my chair around, making me face the person who entered my office. I kept my gaze set to the floor. His feet were clad in black sneakers, a little worn but in good condition. My eyes refused to stay at his feet and traveled upwards, appreciating how the denim wrapped around his legs, accentuating the lean muscles of his legs that I had not seen in two months. My gaze continued upward to his hips and torso, just skimming the part of him I hadn't seen yet but dreamed about often enough. I couldn't stop the blush even in my ire. His hands dangled, barely grazing his jeans at his hips. A part of my mind remarked how long and elegant his fingers were. It something I had failed to notice before. There was a scar across the knuckle of his thumb that looked new. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled up and pushed to his elbows. My eyes traced the silver lines of his button-down shirt as they pointed up towards his chest. I admired his shoulders, how his shirt was snug in the right places. There were a few chest hairs sticking out above the open collar. I shyly willed my eyes to continue.

I found his eyes, which I loved and hated most about him and how they could see through me, through all my pretenses, straight into my soul. I looked away briefly. I wasn't ready to fully give myself into them yet. Despite that, I could still see hope shining from his eyes. We both knew this couldn't be brushed aside just with some flowers and an apology. There were deeper issues at hand that needed to be resolved, namely honesty and trust in each other and ourselves. I broke myself from his gaze and drifted slightly downward, past his straight nose to his warm, inviting lips. He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. My eyes were drawn to his lips as they parted when he licked his lips.

He stood there for several minutes while I looked at him lost in my thoughts. He made no move to approach me further, putting the ball into my court to decide what the next step was. I was still mad at him, but I was mad at myself too. I never gave him the chance to explain himself or say anything on his behalf before I passed judgment. Granted the evidence was pretty straight forward in his alleged guilt, but he still had the right to air his side. If he had been the one to tell me about Tanya and not leave me to find out about it accidentally online, none of this would have happened. It just seemed like he was hiding something by not telling me. I wanted to know why he didn't tell me and why he had been pulling away from me. I still loved him like none other, and I hoped that our love would help us get through this.

I felt his gaze on me again, searching for something, anything that would reveal my thoughts.

I stood slowly, taking a step forward towards him. The magnetism that was Edward Cullen was too much for me to resist any longer. He remained where he was; although I saw his fingers twitch as I approached him. I reached out with my short, inelegant fingers and touched his cheek, relishing the heat of his skin on my fingertips. His eyes closed and sighed softly. My fingers traveled into his hair tugging gently on the ends before resting my hand on the back of his neck. I was now only inches from him. I could feel his breath on my face. Each time he breathed I got goose bumps everywhere. Still he made no move towards me, letting me make the first move.

"Edward," I whispered. My hand pulled his head down to mine as I stood on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his. It was like our first kiss all over again. When I had touched him with my hand a moment before, I felt the fire reignite between us. When I kissed him, it became an inferno. The gentlest of kisses became incredibly heated. Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me off the floor. My arms locked around his neck and lost myself in his kisses. He tasted just as I remembered. The feel of his tongue on mine sent shivers down my spine. Every inch of me was hyperaware of him. I had to fight the urge to wrap myself around him and never let go. Edward trailed kisses across my jaw to my ear, kissing my lobe and running his tongue along the ridge. If I had been standing, my knees would have given out on me.

We both pulled away at the same time, not wanting to get carried away while there was so much to talk about. Edward set me back down and I was glad my knees solidified. I had to hide the smirk I felt creeping up when I saw how truly happy part of his body was to see me. It was great to see that his body still reacted to mine after two months of separation.

"Bella," he began hoarsely, "I am so sorry I put you through all of this. I should've told-" I stopped him with a finger over his lips.

"I'm sorry too, but we have time for that later. I'm just so glad to see you again. I've missed you so much," I said softly. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat. It helped calm me. Edward rested his cheek on the top of my hair as he tightened his grip around my waist, rubbing my sides with his thumbs.

"I've missed you too, Bella. These past two months have been horrible without you. I hoped every week that we'd get enough time where I could fly out here, but it never happened."

"Thank you for the flowers." I didn't want to admit how crushed I felt when the flowers hadn't arrived earlier. They were only flowers, but I had come to look forward to them every week knowing that it was because he thought of me.

"You're welcome, Bella," Edward replied softly, stroking my hair.

"So those pictures were really just from the set?" I asked timidly. I know what I saw on the television, but I had to hear it from Edward.

He nodded. "I can show you the full set of pictures when we get home."

_Home. He called my house home._ "Any Tanya?" I whispered.

"Completely delusional."

We stood there in each other's arms for several minutes. I think we both needed to be reassured that this wasn't a dream that we were really together again. I idly wondered what would happen now that the world knew what my name was. Strangely, I wasn't worried, at least not yet. No one knew exactly who "Bella" was except that she was the love of Edward's life, and was not imaginary, much to the displeasure for his psycho ex-girlfriend.

"You know, Alice really does like you. She didn't mean to deceive you," he continued as if no time had passed from when he last spoke.

"Angela told me she wanted to see if I still cared for you, after all that had happened," I murmured.

"That is somewhat accurate. She came out here to meet you. Alice had been wanting to meet the woman that had so totally captivated me, who had turned my life around and gave me purpose. This gave her a reason to come out here." Edward stroked my face with his index finger, curling it under my chin. "Alice also gave me the idea for the interview and she wanted to make sure you actually saw it. She called me last night after you dropped her off and squealed for about five minutes straight."

I laughed. I could picture Alice doing just that. "How long did it take before you could hear again?" I teased.

Edward chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Awhile, but I'm used to it. I did grow up with Alice. If this acting thing doesn't pan out, maybe I'll invest in hearing aid companies."

He leaned down and kissed me gently, the faint trace of a smile against my lips.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered against his lips.

His green eyes which were sparkling before darkened into liquid molten pools. "Bella, I am so glad to hear you say that," Edward said, his voice husky, almost breaking. "I wasn't sure if I'd ever hear you say those words to me again after what I did to you." He cradled my face between his hands, stroking my cheeks with his thumbs. "I love you, Bella Swan."

His eyes burned into mine, the absinthe orbs seeming to take life of their own. That is all I saw as he leaned down to capture my lips in another kiss. One hand reached to the back of my neck and held me to his face. His long fingers tangled into my hair, making my scalp tingle. His lips captured a moan that erupted from deep inside my chest. He responded swiftly, clutching me even tighter, practically bending me over backwards. Our bodies couldn't possibly be any closer short of being naked. _There lies interesting possibilities._ Thinking of Edward naked and wrapped around me was enough to turn me into a puddle of goo. I trembled in his embrace.

Eventually, we had to come up for air, such a human failing, but he did not relinquish his hold on me. Nor did I want him let me go. I kept my fingers twined in his hair. This was what my version of heaven was, being in his arms. It didn't matter where or when or what was going on around us.

Reality encroached on our little bubble. I needed to talk to Alice and Angela. I know Alice was hurt by my snub. I was still irritated but after what Edward told me, I could sort of understand. Sort of. However, I wasn't willing to completely forgive easily. I slowly released my hold on Edward with a sigh. He looked down at me sympathetically.

"Time to return to Earth," he commented quietly. He didn't want to break our moment either but it was necessary.

I ran my fingers through my hair, calming the strands that had gotten mussed. My body was still quite aware of Edward's presence but it was slowly cooling off. There was time for that later.

"Can you send Angela in?"

"Sure, sweetheart. I'll be right outside when you want me." Edward leaned over and kissed the top of my head before going to find Angela.

I sat back in my desk chair and twiddled with a pen while I waited for Angela to come in. I did not have to wait long. There was a soft knock before Angela slipped in, quiet as a mouse. I turned my chair so I could face her.

"Hey Ang," I said softly.

She looked down at her feet shyly. I had never been short with her before. Angela had her hands shoved in her pockets of her pants.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I should not have been so short with you. You did nothing to deserve it. Today has been far too overwhelming for me and I took it out on people I should not have."

Angela walked over to my chair and knelt so our faces were level. Her smile was warm and forgiving. "Don't worry about it, Bella. You've been under tremendous stress over the past several days. I'm sure finding out that I knew about Alice's plan didn't help things. If I told you what was going on, you would've have listened. I'm sorry."

I smiled ruefully, "It made me feel like the world was against me, but I understand now for the most part. I still don't like it, but I understand." I looked at her quizzically. "What did Alice tell you? When did she even get a chance to talk to you?"

"She caught me when you were in the back getting more beer. Alice told me she was Edward's sister and why she was here to make sure you saw the interview and stuff. Plus she said she really wanted to meet you. She was impressed with how Edward had changed since the day he met you. Alice begged me not to say anything. I was amazed that she was able to get all she wanted to say in one breath. Alice is a very excitable woman," Angela commented.

I couldn't help but laugh. "That she is Angela."

We stood up at the same time and hugged briefly. All was back to normal with Angela. She was the type of person who you could not stay mad at for very long. She was just too sweet of a person.

"Okay, send in the next victim," I declared, deepening my voice as I spoke, trying not to laugh.

Dealing with Alice wouldn't be so carefree. I understood why she was here now, but it didn't change the fact that I felt manipulated and the insecure part of me wondered what part of our friendship was actually real.

When Alice walked in, she wasn't as quiet as Angela, not by half. The tiny woman flew into my office, her eyes huge with tears about to drop. My office door wasn't even completely shut before she started speaking. "Bella, I know it looks bad but I really genuinely like you and I think we could easily be best friends. I saw how much he loves you when he and I talked on Saturday. You've made Edward so happy and that makes me happy. You've made such a difference in his life. You are like his guardian angel. I really thought it was so awesome that you went shopping with me and let me give you a make-over. Although, to be perfectly honest, you really don't need a make-over, you are naturally beautiful. I just really want us to be friends and hope you can forgive me for misleading to you about some of this."

Amazing. She got that all out in one breath. I laughed. Alice looked at me surprised, then a little hurt at my laughter. Before she could take my laughter the wrong way, I spoke: "No, Alice, its fine. I wasn't laughing at what you said, more of how you said it. I'm amazed that such a tiny little body can speak for as long as you do in one breath without stopping."

Alice's hurt look changed to a relieved smile. "It takes lots of practice. Growing up, it was hard sometimes to be heard over Emmett and Edward so I had to get it all out at once." She giggled.

"Edward seems pretty quiet, that surprises me," I mused.

"Not when he was a kid. Of course now all the commotion comes from Emmett. That bear cannot do anything quietly."

"Bear?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Yes, bear. He's HUGE!" Alice exclaimed. "He's the mutant of my family. No one in our family is that big. Edward used to tease him that his dad is really the mailman."

"Oh my God!" I was about to roll on the floor in laughter. "I'll have to look at pictures of the Mariner's roster online."

Alice looked at my slyly. "I'm sure you'll be seeing him in person soon enough. When is Edward bringing you out west to meet the family?"

That stopped me in my tracks. "I don't know. We never talked about me coming out there, even just to visit him. We really need sort some stuff out between ourselves before we go any further anyway."

Alice jumped up and down. "You have to come home for Christmas! He just has to bring you! Cullen Christmases cannot be missed! Please tell me you will come!"

This woman was going to give me condition with how excitable she was. "If Edward asks and wants me to come, then I will see what I can do," I answered diplomatically.

Alice barreled me over in a huge hug, still bouncing. "Oh, I can't wait for you to meet Jasper and go shopping in Seattle and to meet Mom and Dad and see where we grew up and-" I put a hand over Alice's mouth.

"Enough, Alice. You are making my head spin," I teased, a smile hinting at the corners of my lips.

Alice hugged me again before bouncing out of my office. I had not reason to hide out any longer so I slowly made my way back out to the floor. I got a few more curious looks as I walked in. Jessica was beside herself in the corner, being physically restrained by Jacob, in her excitement to run over to Edward and meet him. Thankfully most of the patrons didn't look hard enough at Edward to figure out who he was or just didn't care enough to try to find out. They stayed wrapped up in their own conversations and their own drinks.

I walked over to Jessica before she could really start causing a scene. If that happened then everyone would be wondering who this bronze-haired god was and what all the fuss was about. "Jessica, relax," I said. "You are going to pass out if you don't breathe." Jessica continued to struggle weakly against Jacob's iron grasp.

"Bella, I can't-" she panted. "It's re-really him! I knew it-" she stammered. "It's E-E-Edwa-" Jessica was in full fangirl mode.

"Breathe, Jessica," I repeated.

Jessica tried to calm herself down. She was almost hyperventilating. I looked her straight in the eye and willed her to calm down as I breathed evenly, hoping she would match my breathes. I held her gaze until she finally unwound herself.

"If you remain calm and rein in the fangirl, I'll introduce you to him," I offered softly.

Jessica's eyes widened and I could tell she wanted to squeal but she managed to control herself. "Really?" she choked out.

I nodded. "Yes, I'll introduce you to my boyfriend, Edward." _Good Lord, it felt good to say that._

Jessica blushed, which didn't happen often, and nodded enthusiastically. She nudged her head towards Jacob, who still kept her secured.

"Jacob, I think she'll be okay now. Thank you." He looked at me unconvinced but did as I asked.

As soon as she was free, I grabbed Jessica's elbow and pulled her close so I could whisper in her ear. "If so much as a peep about where Edward is, who Edward's girlfriend really is and where she lives makes it into the news or the tabloids, you will be finding a new job," I warned. Jessica's eyes widened even farther as I continued. "Even if you aren't the source of the leak, you will take the fall for it. So watch what you say, where you say it, and who you say it to at all times. Anyone could be in the media or be paparazzi."

Jessica nodded slowly, subdued. I had never spoken to her like that before. It was never necessary until now. This would help ensure that she would not go running to the media or tell anyone else who could go to the media with her news that Edward Cullen's girlfriend was her boss. I only hoped our friendship and my threat would be stronger than any bribes the tabloids could offer her. I released her elbow and smiled at her warmly. "Ready?"

Some of the earlier excitement came back to her face. She nodded eagerly and followed behind me. We walked over to the bar where Angela and Alice were doing their best to guard Edward inconspicuously. Each woman had claimed a bar stool on either side of him. However, he still stood out. No matter how much he tried to meld into the crowd, he would always stand out. Edward was just that stunningly handsome.

"Edward," I said softly as we approached him. I touched his back, feeling that shock of electricity that always happened when we touched. He turned around on his bar stool and pulled me close between his legs. He rested his hands on my hips and gently rubbed circles into my skin with his thumbs. His brilliant green eyes locked with mine. I doubted he noticed that there was anyone else in the room.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he purred quietly. His eyes darkened as he leaned in to nuzzle my neck. Jessica stood nervously next to me, flustered and slightly embarrassed to witness our little moment.

I closed my eyes to clear my head from Edward's infectious gaze. "Edward," I said as I opened my eyes. "I'd like you to meet Jessica. You've seen her around here before, but I never officially introduced you."

Edward finally realized that there were other people around and turned to face Jessica. He smiled at her, giving her its full dazzling effect, "Pleased to finally meet you, Jessica." He extended his hand to her.

Jessica's eyes glazed over slightly as she flushed all the way to her hairline and probably beyond. She actually seemed at loss for words. "Uh hi… E-Ed—Edward." She finally gained control of herself and shook his offered hand.

Handshake over, Edward returned his hand to my hip but still looked at Jessica. "I believe I owe you an apology Jessica," he said softly.

"Apology?" Jessica whispered.

"Yes. I owe you an apology for the concert from this summer. Bella told me how excited you were to go and here I had the nerve to leave in the middle of the set," he said mildly.

Jessica stared down at her feet. "Oh, it's okay," she said.

Edward looked deep in thought for a moment. "Let me make it up to you. Perhaps Bella will let me do a concert here while I'm in Ohio." His eyes twinkled. Edward looked down at me, silently asking me if it was okay. I nodded with a smile on my face as I leaned into his chest.

"Oh my God," Jessica whispered loudly. "Really? You'd do that?" Her inner fangirl was starting to come out.

"Yes," Edward said. "I left my guitar at Bella's so I can play whenever."

I laughed in his neck. Jessica would be on cloud nine. I couldn't help but also be excited to see him play too.

Jessica looked like she was going to explode with excitement. I looked at her sternly. "Remember what I said Jessica." Her excitement dialed down a notch but only just barely. She nodded solemnly before her excitement got the best of her and she started bouncing from side to side. Jessica remained there, bouncing, as she stared at Edward

"I think your tables are missing you, Jess," I chided gently.

Jessica blushed again and quickly made her way back to her section of tables.

I chuckled into Edward's neck again, loving the natural smell of him. "You just made her day…no her year," I murmured. I barely restrained myself from licking his earlobe.

I felt Edward's body rumble in silent laughter. He trailed kisses from my neck to my jaw. I hummed with pleasure. Regretfully I had to return to work, so I pulled away. I dragged my fingers across him as I went so I could maintain contact as long as possible.

"Just for a few more hours Edward," I whispered. He looked at me with a pout. I longed to suck the lip he was sticking out. I did a mental shake to try to get my mine out of the gutter. Edward had that way about him that made me think of sex all the time. _Well thank God I don't find him repulsive_. I needed to keep my wits about me so we could talk tonight. If I allowed myself to be distracted too easily by him, we would never get through this completely and be able to move on.

At the end of the night, Edward, Alice, and I slowly walked out into the parking lot. My truck sat as sentential over the parking lot. The only other vehicle left was a silver Volvo. I assumed it was Edward's.

"How do you always manage to get Volvo's?" I asked. Alice laughed.

Edward shrugged. "Lucky I guess. The company I use always seems to have Volvos ready for me. Let me take Alice back to her hotel and I'll be back. Should be about an hour."

I nodded, relieved that I would get a little time to myself before Edward and I talked. I would be able to unwind a little from work and get my self in the right frame of mind. I walked over to Alice and gave my real new friend a hug.

"It was great to finally meet you, Bella. I hope we can hang out for a bit before I go back to Seatlle."

"I'd like that. When do you go back?" I knew she would have to go back, but it couldn't stop my disappointment that she was leaving so soon.

"Tomorrow night. I need to get a few things done at my office before I drive into Forks for Thanksgiving."

I nodded. I would hopefully have a little bit of time before I had to go into work tomorrow. I definitely had to go in. Business always goes up around the holidays. More people are at home which means stress. And people often deal with stress with alcohol.

"Okay, I'll call you in the morning and maybe we can get together for lunch," I offered.

"Sounds great, Bella. See you then." Alice hopped into the Volvo as Edward walked me to my old truck. His hand rested on the small of my back.

"I never had a chance to tell you earlier, but you look absolutely amazing," he murmured. I blushed.

"Thank your sister. She's missed her calling."

He laughed low in his throat as he gathered me in his arms. "I've missed you so much, Bella."

His nose ran from my neck to my ear, sending shivers down my body. His soft breath gave me goose bumps. I felt him smile against my jaw as he took pleasure from my body's response to his attention. Before we could forget where we were, he pulled away and kissed my forehead.

"I'll be back soon."

About ten minutes later I walked into my living room. The memories of the past several days no longer held the bite they had before. The pit of despair was gone, but I was still leery of our future. I was still nervous but I felt that we were in a good place to air out what we needed to so we could continue on. Life was never perfect and it never went quite the way you expected it to go. I could only hold my breath and hope for the best. If our relationship was going to thrive, there would be more challenges ahead. I would have to be able to survive in his world.

We sat at my kitchen table across from each other, the silence weighing down on us. I played with the stem of my wine glass nervously while Edward stared intently at the wood grain of the table.

Only scant hours before we were ready to bear our souls to each other in the middle of my bar. Now, truly alone for the first time in two months, we couldn't say one word to each other. I couldn't believe how awkward this had become so quickly. While I was waiting for Edward to arrive after dropping Alice off, I never expected it to be like this. I had assumed that we would just sit down on the couch and let it all out, but things never turn out how you think they would.

"So…" I said, trailing off.

"So…" Edward echoed.

Neither one of us were willing to speak up first

I was starting to get mad. Here he was doing it again; pushing me away, pushing this conversation away, because of his inability to communicate. This was incredibly ironic, considering he was an actor and a musician. All he did was communicate for his career. So why couldn't he communicate with me now? Weren't actors and musicians supposed to be good at expressing feelings? Why couldn't he tell me in person what he had said on national television everyone?

I was about to tell him off when something pricked my mind from an old interpersonal communications class I taken back in college.

…. _Communication is a two way street._

Our channels were being disrupted by our own fears and insecurities.

I hadn't done a damn thing. I expected Edward to do it all.

He had tried to communicate with me. He tried calling me back after I hung up on him. He tried texting me. He tried to tell his side of the story and I refused to listen. The evidence against him did make it seem pretty certain to me that he was guilty, but he deserved the chance to say his piece. With one last attempt, he declared himself on national television, hoping I would finally be listening. I had, finally, but tonight I was still expecting him to declare himself. Again.

…. _Communication is a two way street._

Edward wasn't the only one who was able to speak. He certainly wasn't the only one pushing. I realized at that moment that I had been pushing him away too. I was so determined that he was at fault that I refused to look any other possibilities. I was refusing to trust someone that I had professed to love. I acted like it was all on him, that I did nothing wrong.

_What a bunch of crap._ _I need to be the one to speak up now._

Still, I was mad. He had apologized, but I was still mad. I wish I knew why he hadn't told me about Tanya. He had plenty of opportunities to do so. It was pretty upsetting to find out about a prior relationship online. If he was willing to hide this, what else could he be hiding? I had to be able to trust him or our relationship wasn't going to last. I wondered if his reasons for distancing himself from me were also tied into his alleged involvement with Tanya. I hope he wasn't hiding anything else. I hoped he really wouldn't lie to me.

My thoughts turned inward a little bit. If I couldn't trust him, there was no way we could have a relationship. A relationship without trust was not a relationship at all. Was my inability to trust him a sign of something to come? I shuddered. I sincerely hoped not.

It was my turn to speak now. We would never be able to work on our trust issues if I kept pushing him away.

…. _Communication is a two way street._

I took a deep breath and jumped right in.

"Edward, it was an incredibly brave thing you did today. You put yourself on national television just to tell me what really happened and how you felt. If I had just listened to you on Friday when you were trying to explain yourself, you wouldn't have had to go through all of that. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions without giving you a chance to explain. I'm sorry for pushing you away.

"That being said, I was so angry and hurt when I saw Tanya's interview and then the pictures. I certainly didn't expect you to not have a past, but I expected that you would have told me about anyone important. I mean, I told you about Jacob, after all. Seeing the pictures and the interview was all just too much. Did you really think I would never see them? I never actively looked for pictures of you but how could you think that I would never ever see them?

"On top of that, our conversations had been getting shorter and I could tell that you were pushing me away but I couldn't figure out why. Tanya was a good explanation. She fit the puzzle. It didn't help that Tanya is incredibly beautiful and sexy and is everything I'm not. Was I not good enough to be told? Do you think so little of me that I wouldn't be able to handle finding out about an ex-girlfriend?

"When we spoke last on Friday, I gave you the opportunity to come clean. I flat out asked you about Tanya, and you said nothing. Nothing about meeting her for coffee or your past with her. If she were nothing, truly nothing, then you would not have needed to lie about it. You could have told me the truth about your past with her and the coffee thing, then it truly would have been nothing. But you didn't. You lied to me."

Edward finally spoke up.

"While I whole-heartedly agree that I should've told you about my history with Tanya months ago, if I remember our conversation on Friday correctly, you didn't give me much of a chance to say anything, Bella. You kept interrupting me any time I tried to speak."

I blushed with shame as I recalled that morning a little more clearly now than I had before. I had to admit that I did not let him say much at all that morning. I asked lots of questions and kept interrupting him before he could answer. Regardless of my conduct that morning, he still lied.

I took a deep breath before I continued.

"I'm sorry that I didn't give you a chance to speak. I was so angry and so hurt, but to be honest, I think I expected something like that to happen."

Edward's face snapped up as he stared at me incredulously with anger flashing in his eyes. "You expected me to cheat on you?" he spat.

"It never made sense for you to love me. When women who look like Tanya surround you, what appeal could someone like me have?"

He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation. Edward polished off the rest of his wine in one gulp before he looked at me. His beautiful green eyes were pained. Edward's long fingers reached across the table to encase mine.

"God, I can't believe how I screwed this up. From the start, my only goal was to protect you. I never met to mislead you. I was afraid to tell you about Tanya because I didn't want you to compare yourself to her. Me not telling you about her had nothing to do with you not being good enough or of me thinking lowly of you. Bella, I love you and in my mind, I was trying to protect you. I know how you see yourself, however inaccurate that is, and I knew you would immediately start comparing yourself to her. Yes, she is attractive, but that is all she has. There is nothing _good_ about her. You are good and so beautiful, much more beautiful than she ever could be, and intelligent, sexy, honest, and hardworking. Tanya is an evil, manipulative woman who sold her soul to Hollywood years ago."

It was disturbing to hear his assumptions on my reaction to Tanya. I wanted Edward to finally have his say, but I had to speak up. "Edward, how could you assume to know how I would react? You aren't a monk, I expect you to have a past, and that past includes women in Hollywood, Yes, they intimidate me, and it is hard not to compare myself to them, but if you had told me about Tanya, I would've dealt with it. I possibly could've gotten upset, but it wouldn't have been like this. By not telling me about her, you made all of my insecurities worse."

Edward hung his head. He sighed softly as he gathered his thoughts. He gently squeezed my hands as he began speaking softly.

"Hollywood is full of women like Tanya, and worse. Most of them are all plastic and fake. Some are genuine but they are hard to find. Regardless of how beautiful any of those women are none can hold a candle to you." He finally raised his head and looked at me. "Bella, you have this pull on me that I can't fight. It is a pull that no one, no woman or man, can break. No one has ever made me feel like this before. None of those Hollywood women ever touched me the way that you have. You have my heart. You have me. That is something that Tanya never had and never will."

My eyes brimmed with tears. I smiled softly and pressed our hands together.

"And you are completely right that I should have told you about Tanya. I should've told you months ago about her. If I had been honest with you from the get go, none of this would have been necessary. The pain that we both have gone through in the past seventy-two plus hours would not have happened. I was incredibly naïve about the coffee shop pictures. I knew that the paparazzi had taken pictures of us but I had hoped you wouldn't ever see them. That hope was very stupid. I don't know what I was thinking, besides the fact that I wasn't really thinking. Maybe I was afraid of your reaction, that you would freak out hearing about the pictures. Maybe I felt guilty for even putting myself in that position. Regardless, I was an insensitive ass, and I can only beg for your forgiveness now."

Edward leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked at me sadly, his expression full of regret.

"When Tanya and I began dating, she wasn't as bad as she is now, but she was on her way there. She craved the attention of the media that I shied away from. I had only been in Hollywood for a few years, so I was ecstatic that this beautiful woman wanted to be with me. I hadn't dated much before I left Washington so it was a pretty awesome feeling to have someone around, even someone as shallow as Tanya. When I wanted to stay home and work on my music, she wanted to go out to the clubs. My music never seemed to interest her much, and that was a hard pill to swallow. I wasn't just Edward the actor. I was Edward the musician too. Music was my first love and it always will be.

"It hurt me more than I was willing to admit that she didn't care. She was only really interested in the exposure I could give her, not my interests or desires or dreams. I tried to ignore the pain of her indifference and the kind of person she really was. I was young, so young, and was thrilled that such an attractive woman would want to be with me. It helped boost my fledgling image in Hollywood. I hated the attention from the paparazzi, but I loved how it was helped provide more expose for my music and better scripts. It helped her career too. She got more attention being attached to one of the up-and-coming stars in Hollywood. So I guess we used each other.

"After awhile, I could no longer stand the parties and the schmoozing and everyone using each other. It had finally gotten to the point that I could no longer ignore it. Tanya's behavior continued to worsen, and I was doing everything I could to be civil with her. We were all smiles when we were out in public, but we barely spoke to each other away from the cameras.

"I finally had enough, and tried to sit with her privately to break things off. She refused to listen. She laughed it off; acting like our conversation never happened and said that my career needed her too much for me to leave. I wanted to pull my hair out. A part of me thought she might have been right. _Eclipse_ hadn't been released yet and I was still relatively unknown. Being seen with her helped my exposure which would lead to more scripts in my mailbox.

"But I decided that I couldn't let that stop me from ending our farce of a relationship. She may have helped me, but I had helped her too. So I needed to make a name for myself on my own. Breaking up with her would be the start of my new independence. Since she wouldn't listen to me privately, I decided I would have to very publicly break up with her. I didn't want to do it that way, but it seemed like the only way to end the relationship."

I gasped. I could only imagine how humiliating that would be, at least for me.

"I picked a restaurant that the paparazzi hung out at the most. Tanya was in her element, smiling for the cameras and flirting with me. It only fueled my desire to get this farce over with once and for all. So I dropped the bomb on her. Even there in the restaurant I tried to do it quietly. It did not go well. She made a scene."

Edward shuddered with the memory. He pinched the bridge of his nose while he gathered his thoughts again.

"She never thought I'd actually break up with her. She swore that she would get back at me for humiliating her, that my career would go nowhere with out her, and that I would eventually want her back. Tanya stormed out of the restaurant with the paparazzo's cameras clicking and flashing the entire way."

Edward poured more wine for us, and swirled his in his glass. He ran his fingers roughly through his hair and exhaled softly. Tension was evident in every line of his body. A part of me wanted to comfort him, to try to release the tension and forget all the craziness that had been going on, but that just wasn't possible. If I wanted a relationship with Edward again, if I ever wanted a future with him, we needed to get through this.

_But does he want a future with me? He loves me but where does he see this going? Where do _I _see this going?_

Edward spoke again, breaking me from my thoughts.

"I've only seen her a few times before we started shooting _Everything But_. We ended up being at some of the same parties or functions. I tried to avoid her as much as possible, but Tanya always made it a point to approach me. I would be as dismissive as I could be, without losing my manners completely. Thankfully, I usually had my friend Seth with me to help deflect her unwanted attention."

"If you didn't like being around her, why did you agree to do _Everything But_?" I asked.

"I was deep in my alcoholic stupor when the script was sent to me. I barely remember agreeing to do the movie much less who was in it. I'm sure Marcus told me who was co-starring, but I honestly don't remember. He reminded me when he came to Ohio to deliver the script right before I went back. I already dreaded going back to Hollywood, but the knowledge that I would have to work with her made it even worse. I kept imagining all kinds of different tricks she would try to get me alone. She tried to catch me as I expected, but I was able to get rid of her with Seth's help. After that, it seemed like she was finally behaving herself. When she asked me to meet for coffee to go over a part of the script, I thought I would be nice since she was being so well-behaved. I had hoped that she had put all the drama behind her. Obviously my hopes were in vain. After I turned her down at the coffee shop, I hoped again that she would finally stop this madness. I mean, many times can you turn a person down before they get the hint?

"When you called me on Friday, I had no idea about the interview. I never thought that she'd try something that dramatic. She really has a screw loose. I can only imagine what the studio execs, the director, and the producer of the movie think about all of this. This would not be the kind of publicity that they would want, but I could be wrong. Hollywood is weird like that.

"So, that's everything with Tanya?" I asked.

"That I know of. If she has done anything else, I am not aware of it. Marcus is keeping an ear out for any new developments."

I nodded and sipped my wine. Edward had truly bared himself to me. I had no doubt that he was telling me the truth now. But what would keep him from doing this again? Did he have any other secrets he didn't want to tell me?

"Thank you for telling me all of this Edward. I appreciate you being so honest with me." I looked into his eyes, clearly seeing his love and affection for me.

Edward turned my hand over in his, rubbing my palm and the back of my hand at the same time. His eyes grew sad as his thumbs stroked my skin.

"Bella, this has been a very eye-opening experience for me. I will not hold anything back from you again. You deserve to know the truth from me before finding out from someone else or online. I should not have assumed how you would have reacted. I am very sorry. I won't doubt you again." He took a deep breath before continuing. "But Bella, I have to ask… how could you doubt _me_ so much? Did you really have such little faith in me? How can we have a relationship if you don't trust me?" he asked quietly.

My heart thudded in my chest.

_How can we have a relationship without trust?_

This was the same question I had been asking myself, why didn't I trust him? He never gave me a reason to not trust him until Friday. He never actually betrayed me. I only thought he did. True, he misled me and made some very poor assumptions, but he never actually cheated on me. So why did I expect the worst at the first sign of trouble?

"I don't know Edward," I whispered. "You never gave me a reason to doubt you. I feel so ashamed." Tears rolled down my face, and Edward reached over to wipe them away.

"Don't be ashamed, love. If I had been you, I probably would have reacted the same way. Despite all the trust in the world, the evidence was hard to deny."

A hint of a smile crept on my face.

"We have our work cut out for us, sweetheart. We aren't the first to have a long distance relationship, but me being in the media spotlight makes our situation a bit more unique. We have to be able to trust each other. This will not be the first time that some story comes out about some alleged relationship I have with a co-star, or some other actress. Stuff like this comes up all the time to anyone in Hollywood. I could be in the same room with a woman and never actually speak with her and a gossip rag will come out and say I'm in a relationship with her. You have to believe me that I would never betray you." His eyes bore into mine, pleading with me to believe him.

I thought for a moment, pulling my hand from Edward's grasp and resting them on the tabletop. Edward was constantly surrendered by beautiful women, but he wanted me. He thought I was the most attractive woman he had ever seen. He said we had a bond that no one could break. I felt that bond too, but I let my insecurities rule my heart. I could no longer doubt that bond. I knew deep down that what we had was real and true. I needed to trust in that and in Edward.

Taking a deep breath, I finally allowed myself to become unfettered from my insecurities. They may still be there inside of me, but they would no longer rule my life. "I do," I murmured, reaching out to clasp his hands in mind. I truly did now. I would never again doubt Edward's feelings for me.

I gazed into his eyes and wondered how I got so lucky. Edward was an incredible man in so many ways. How could I have ever possibly doubted him? He professed his love for me on national television. He was smart, handsome, and very talented. He wanted to be with me, and I wanted to be with him. Edward was also incredibly patient. He had slept beside me for nearly a month and never pushed me too far. If he was really just out for a fling, he would have pushed me to go farther.

There were many times where things had gotten heated, but we were always able to stop. His touch set my body on fire so many times. Cold showers and thinking of Margaret Thatcher naked were sometimes needed to calm the storm. The knowledge that he eventually had to leave was never far from out minds. As much as I felt hurt that he rejected me on my birthday, I knew now that I wouldn't have been able to take sharing myself completely with him, just for him to go. Edward had confessed to me once that if he made love to me then that he would never be able to leave. While that was a tempting thought, I could never ask Edward to give up his career and I didn't want to hold him back.

"I trust you, Edward." I took a deep breath before continuing. "I trust in us, in this." I gestured between the two of us with our joined hands. "And I want this for as long as you will have me." I stared intently at my wine glass. I was afraid to look him in the eye.

He didn't say a word. Edward stood up and walked around the table, pulling me up to him.

"Bella, I love you so much. I don't ever want to let you go," he murmured in my ear. His warm breath sent chills down my spine.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his chest. I felt his fingers lift my chin up as his lips captured mine. My hands lost themselves in his hair, relishing in the silkiness of his bronze locks. Before I knew it, we were wrapped around each other tightly, kissing passionately, our bodies as close as they could be while clothed.

Edward pulled away from me slightly, making me whimper at the loss of his touch. He kept his arms wrapped around my waist as he looked down at me with a quirky smile.

"Bella, what are you doing for Christmas?"

I looked at him blankly for a moment. My brain was still fuzzy from Edward's attentions with his hands and lips.

When I didn't answer right away, Edward cocked his head to one side with a smirk.

"Earth to Bella!" he crooned softly.

I shook my head, finally realizing that he was speaking to me.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, embarrassed at being so distracted.

Edward chuckled. "Problems, love?"

I felt my cheeks burn as I blushed.

"No, just dazzled."

He stroked the flush of my cheeks as his eyes danced.

"I asked you what your plans were for Christmas," Edward said softly.

"Oh, um, I'll probably just spend it with Charlie and some of my friends."

"Do you think Charlie and your friends would mind if you…um… spent Christmas and maybe New Years with me? That's if you would want to come to out to LA…and to Forks…and meet my family…" Edward trailed off, uncertainty now evident on his handsome face and velvet voice. It was strange to hear him so nervous.

My face broke out into a huge grin.

"I would love to spend Christmas and New Years with you. Charlie won't mind." _I hope._

I was ecstatic. I had wondered if Edward would ever invite me out to LA and now I had my answer. Not only would he show me his world but I would meet his family too. My smile turned mischievous. "But that means you'll have to spend Thanksgiving with us since I am giving up Christmas with Charlie."

Edward blinded me with the most brilliant smile I have ever seen. "I think I can work with that."

My heart leapt out of my chest with happiness. Not only we forgiven each other for our assumptions and doubts, but he wanted to introduce me to his family and he wanted to mine. _Well, he already did meet Charlie, but this would be under better and more honest circumstances._

Edward eagerly captured my lips with his and knotted his fingers in my long hair.

"Edward," I moaned into his mouth. I wanted to let myself go so badly. He clutched me tighter. His lips traveled down my neck and I felt my body respond to him. His hands traveled to the waistband of my pants and started pulling my t-shirt out. I trembled as I felt the cotton slide against my skin. My fevered mind wanted his hands where my shirt had been.

"Oh, God, Bella. I missed you so much," he said huskily. Hearing the low, lust-filled quality to his voice made me quiver. I wanted him more than I did the night of my birthday.

"I missed you too, Edward, so much. I love you." I leaned up on my tiptoes and took his earlobe between my lips. I sucked on it gently before taking I gently nipped on it. Edward groaned and I felt his body harden in response.

"Woman, you are going to be the death of me."

"What a good way to die," I teased.

Edward laughed low in his throat as his hands crept under the hem of my t-shirt. I sucked in my breath, feeling every touch, every caress. He stroked the skin of my back and my sides, running his fingertips over the straps of the back of my bra. Slowly, as we explored each others' bodies, we began walking towards my bedroom. My pulse raced and I felt every nerve of my body stand on end.

I had to have him. Now. Tonight. I couldn't wait any longer. He was mine and I was his. Nothing would change that now. When he went back to LA, I would have this moment to treasure and not regret, and when we saw each other again in LA, we would have other moments to add to this one. We were stronger now. I still had my insecurities, but not about this. Not about us.

**A/N Thank you for reading! Please review! I post teasers in review replies (if you don't want a teaser, just let me know. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. ****Come join us in the thread for BFTO:****www (dot) twilighted (dot) ****net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**

**FYI - Lemony times are approaching...since the main story is T rated, any lemony chapters will be heavily edited. However, I will be posting any lemony chapters in their full citrisy glory under the "BFTO Series of Oneshots" which is M rated. So if you enjoy lemons, fav the oneshots so you won't miss anything. :)**


	16. Chapter 16: Reunion EDITED

**A/N To be compliant with the ToS on FF, this chapter has been heavily edited due to its adult content. The chapter has been posted in its full adult glory under BFTO Series of Oneshots here on FF. You can also find the entire unedited version of the story on Twilighted.**

**Special thanks to my two great PTB betas, HEARocks and Sirenastarot.**

**Chapter Sixteen: Reunion (EDITED)**

**BPOV**

By the time Edward and I managed to get to my bedroom, we were both panting heavily. My t-shirt was completely untucked and was riding up my torso. Edward's shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a thin, white undershirt. We had kicked off our shoes somewhere in the hallway during our progress through the house.

As we approached my bed, Edward peppered my face, neck, and jaw with kisses creating a trail of fire that burned deep inside of my body. He returned to my jaw, nibbling as he went before he buried his face in my neck. His hands roamed across my back and stomach, making my knees week.

"I have missed the way you smell so much, Bella," he murmured, as he breathed in the scent of my hair.

I laughed low in my throat as I slipped his shirt off his shoulders, and it rustled softly as it fell to the floor. I ran my hands across his stomach, enjoying the feel of his taut muscles through his snug undershirt.

"Mmm… all those hard muscles," I said, almost to myself. My body tingled as I imagined what other things could be hard.

"Oh, they are all plenty hard for you, Ms. Swan," Edward teased, seeming to read my thoughts, and ground his hips into me. He chuckled with a gleam in his eye as he stroked the sides of my face with the pads of his thumbs.

I felt heat flood my face from his words as I felt what was hard between his legs grinding into me. This was a side of Edward I hadn't seen before. I never thought I would like dirty talk. I had to admit, I liked it.

"I love seeing you blush," he whispered, kissing my cheeks. "And I love being the reason why you blush."

Edward's hands trailed from my face down to my sides. Slowly he pulled up on the bottom of my shirt, keeping his eyes on mine, making sure I was okay with what he was doing. Every nerve ending felt like it was standing on end. My body burned whereever he touched me.

My response was to lift my arms up to make it easier for him to remove the offending item of clothing.

As I lifted my arms, I wondered if I smelled. Edward liked the smell of my hair but what about the rest of me? I had been working all day and certainly wasn't as fresh as I would have liked for my first time with Edward. All the extra make-up and hair products that Alice had used on me that morning were starting to really weigh me down on top of my work grime. I really did feel dirty, and not the good, fun kind of dirty.

_Shit!_

Edward saw the panic in my eyes and immediately stopped pulling my shirt off. It was left hanging around my neck.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I shouldn't…" He took a step back to give me the space he thought I wanted with a confused look on his face.

"Edward. I want this, believe me, but I also want to freshen up." I emphasized my desire to be with him by closing the distance between us and slipping my hand under his undershirt so I could touch his bare skin. I felt his stomach muscles clench.

"It's just that I've been working all day and… well, I feel dirty and grimy. This isn't what I imagined our first time together to be like. I want to be perfect for you or clean at the very least."

Edward's eyes crinkled with mirth.

"You are perfect just the way you are, Bella." He finished removing my shirt and gently kissed the tops of my bare shoulders. "But if you want to get cleaned up first, I understand."

He took a step back and put his hands in his pockets. I smiled at him weakly and walked into the bathroom. After I shut the door, I leaned against it and tried to calm my tumultuous thoughts. I heard the bed creak on the other side of the door; probably from Edward sitting down on it to wait for me. My desire for Edward was true and undeniable; I had imagined before what our first time would be like many times during the past two months. Doing it after working and making up after a huge fight wasn't quite how I imagined it to be.

I didn't have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. 'SexyBella' was not me. But Edward, good Lord, Edward was sex on a plate. I could only imagine how many women he had been with. It actually pained me to even think like that. Edward said he hadn't dated a lot, so maybe he was just as nervous about this as I was.

_But you don't have to date to have sex._

I smacked myself in the head mentally.

_He wants you. He came here from Holly-freaking-wood to be with you. Put your big girl panties on and stop acting like an insecure little girl!_

_Or maybe I should be taking them off…_ The burn he started with his gentle touches was starting to smolder.

Taking a deep breath and willing myself to be brave, I opened the bathroom door and walked back into my bedroom. Edward looked up at me, even more confused. I smiled at him shyly and hoped I wouldn't blush when I spoke.

My hopes were dashed when I felt the familiar heat of a blush creep on my cheeks.

"You know, Mr. Cullen, the shower can comfortably fit two people," I said softly.

Edward's face broke into a huge smile as he got up from the bed, green eyes dancing, and walked towards me.

"Ms. Swan, are you implying that I stink?" he teased.

I shrugged my shoulders as I stood before him in my pants and bra, giggling. The back of his hand caressed my cheek as his other hand snaked around my waist, resting at the small of my back. He chuckled low in his throat as he kissed me softly.

"I was afraid that maybe you changed your mind about this," Edward murmured. His hand on my back idly rubbed circles against my skin.

"I didn't change my mind. I just don't have a lot of experience with all this. I'm not a sexy creature by nature and I don't want you to be disappointed," I admitted softly.

"You could never disappoint me, Bella." Edward tucked a stray hair behind my ear as he spoke. "I have to admit that I don't have much experience either. Despite the whole Hollywood thing, I was never a man-whore. Sex is such a flippant thing in Hollywood now. You know I'm not a virgin, but sex was never anything I took lightly. The women that surrounded me did, to them it was just a means to get ahead It just encouraged me to date in Hollywood as little as possible."

"If we had done this before, in the summer, it would not have been right. I don't think either one of us were in the right place yet to do this. I already didn't want to leave and this would've kept me here. I doubt you would've been able to handle the separation if I had managed to leave."

I nodded in agreement.

"I never thought I'd be so lucky to have you in my life again after what happened, but now we are stronger. I suppose in one sense, we should be thankful for what we went through the past several days. We trust each other and are free of doubt."

I felt incredibly relieved. As badly as I wanted to be with Edward, I was afraid of how this would affect us.

Edward continued, murmuring softly, "I am thrilled that you would even want to be with me in this way. I have to disagree, though, with one part of your statement. You _are_ a sexy creature. Everything you do entices me."

I blushed again and smiled, my heart melting a little bit more at his words as we walked hand-in-hand into my bathroom.

**EPOV**

As I led Bella from the bathroom into her bedroom, I couldn't believe how lucky I was. After all that had gone on in the past several days, Bella still wanted to be with me. Granted, there was fault on both sides, but I certainly had not expected anything like this when I flew here this afternoon.

When we were in the shower together, it took every ounce of my restraint to not ravish her right then and there, but I wanted to cherish and worship her properly. That was something I would do in the bedroom, where I could lay her down and show her how much I loved her.

Once I saw Bella in the shower, truly saw her; I was overcome with her beauty. She was perfect. Everything about Bella was perfect, and she was offering it all to me.

And now, she was in the bedroom with me, waiting for me.

I sat Bella down on the bed and couldn't stop staring, causing her to blush. I loved it when she blushed, especially when it was because of me. Her skin held a faint rosy glow from the heat of our shower. Bella's normally chestnut colored hair looked almost black with its dampness, providing a striking contrast to her pale but rosy glow.

"I love you, Bella," I said softly as I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Bella looked up at me, her warm chocolate eyes shining brightly with excitement and curiosity. "I love you too, Edward," she whispered.

"Bella, you are simply breathtaking. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," I whispered.

I smiled crookedly at her. "You deserve to be worshipped, Bella. Let me adore you and show you how much I love and want you."

She nodded slowly, dazed by my declaration.

"Show me, Edward. Love me," she said hoarsely.

"Gladly," I responded, rolling fully on top of her.

I looked down and was overcome at the sight. No other woman, no video or fantasy, could ever be better than Bella. Bella was _It._

_It? Wow._ My mind blanked out for a moment as a whole lifetime with Bella presented itself before me.

I mentally shook my head to try to return to reality. _Worry about the future later. Enjoy this now._

I looked back at Bella, hoping she hadn't noticed that I had disappeared for a moment. She had. She didn't look upset, just curious and a little impatient.

"Where did you go?" she asked softly, tracing my jaw.

"Nowhere," I said. I wasn't ready to reveal those kinds of thoughts yet, and it definitely wasn't the right time. "I was just thinking about how beautiful and how perfect you are… and how much I love being here with you." _Okay, not a complete lie._

My answer seemed to satisfy her. She smiled softly at me and stroked my chest. "I'm glad you are here, Edward. Now show me how glad you are…"

This assertive side of Bella was, new but I was thoroughly enjoying it. And I was going to thoroughly enjoy showing my sweet Bella how happy I was.

….

It was like time ceased to exist. I looked down at the wondrous creature beneath me in amazement. When I returned to the planet Earth, it took me several seconds before I could speak coherently. I finally remembered what my name was and then I remembered hers.

_Bella. My Bella. My Love._

I leaned over her, still connected to her, careful not to crush her with my weight and feathered delicate kisses all over her face.

"Bella… that… that was…" There weren't any words possible to describe what we just shared.

Bella looked up at me and her face was shining. She was glowing despite the sweat-sheen.

"I know… it was unlike anything…"

She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close to her body.

"Bella, I'll crush you…" I warned.

"I'll let you know if your weight becomes too much, sweetheart," she reassured me.

Unconvinced but not wanting to disappoint her, I settled down in her arms. Bella ran her hands up and down my sides. Her touch was relaxing to me now. If she kept that up, I was going to fall asleep. After several minutes of gentle and loving touches, I shifted slightly to the side. I was able to maneuver our bodies so we were lying on our sides facing each other.

I ran my fingers through her long hair slowly. It was still slightly damp. Bella hummed with pleasure. Her breathing began to slow and eventually I realized she fell asleep. I caressed the apple of her cheek with the back of my hand as I gently kissed her lips. Content, I settled down next to her and closed my eyes.

I woke up a few hours later to find Bella awake and ready for round two. I happily obliged her as we once again found pleasure in each other's arms.

"What a great way to wake up," I commented once I was able to catch my breath.

"Definitely," Bella agreed.

We wiggled around on the bed, situating limbs into a more comfortable manner. Once we were finally settled, I was on my back with Bella snuggled into my side. Her head was resting on my shoulder and her arm was draped across my chest.

"I love you, Bella," I said softly, kissing the top of her head.

"I know," Bella replied, snuggling deeper into my shoulder.

I listened to her breathing slow into a regular pattern as she drifted off to sleep. My body was spent but my mind was going a mile a minute. The vision I had earlier was forefront in my mind. I knew I loved Bella and no other woman had ever touched my life like this, but when I made those declarations several months ago, what future did I really envision? Did I even think ahead that far? There was still the logistics of living on opposite ends of the country to deal with. I wanted to make it work; I knew we could make it work. But where did we go from here? Would we endlessly fly between our two homes when we had the spare time? I wanted Bella with me. Not just when I was in between movies or tours, but with me, forever.

My earlier glimpse into the future came back with greater detail. Bella and I traveling the world together. Bella and I standing at an alter exchanging vows. Bella and I moving in together. Bella and I walking hand in hand in a meadow with two small children running ahead of us.

I had never really thought about children before. I had always known I would eventually want to have some, but never really thought about when or with whom. What did Bella think about kids? Did she even want any of her own? Would she want to have mine? None of the women I had ever dated before Bella were ever _It._ Being in Hollywood, even for the short time I had been there, had jaded me making me wonder if I could ever find something like my parents had. Esme and Carlisle had such a great marriage and raised the three of us so well, and I wanted that too. Maybe now I had found it.

It wasn't the time to talk about this with Bella. We had just gotten things resolved with the whole Tanya mess. I didn't want to scare her by rushing into anything. Despite the fact that she was the only woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, I had no idea how we would make it work over the long-term. Other actors had wives or families that didn't live in LA or even California. Why couldn't we make it work too? The last thing I wanted to do was make either one of us choose between our careers and each other. She loved her bar; I loved my music and acting.

We would make it work provided that she wanted the same things that I did. I didn't even know if she ever wanted kids or to be married to anyone, much less me.

We would have to discuss this eventually, soon, but for right now, I was going to enjoy my time with Bella and getting to know her family and friends. I had only met her father the night she was attacked at the bar. While Chief Swan was grateful for my assistance that night, I wanted him to have more pleasant situations to know me by.

My mind was at ease, at least for a little while. I drifted off to sleep curled up with Bella, dreaming about a future with her.

**A/N Thank you for reading! Please review! I post teasers in review replies (if you don't want a teaser, just let me know. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO:www (dot) twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**


	17. Chapter 17: Unexpected Surprises

**A/N Special thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Seventeen: Unexpected Surprises**

**BPOV**

Sunlight shined through my bedroom window like a laser beam. I looked up at the gap in my curtains and followed the path of the sunbeam. It highlighted a thatch of messy bronze hair, part of a straight nose, and the corner of very kissable lips. I took this moment to commit the image of Edward to my memory. He looked so at peace, softy snoring with one arm thrown back behind his head and his other wrapped around me. I rested half on my stomach, half on his chest, nestled deep in my blankets, both of us as naked as the day we were born. It was a very pleasant feeling. _I could wake up every day like this._

I stretched carefully, trying not to disturb Edward. I felt a few muscles twinge in protest. It made me laugh a bit to myself. I wasn't out of shape, but it had been some time since certain muscles had been used. I didn't regret it one bit. The pain made last night real and not just a dream.

Last night… last night was the best night of my life. I hadn't had a lot of experience to draw from, but what I did have paled in comparison to what transpired between Edward and I. In most aspects of my life, I was never very assertive or bold. However, Edward brought out a side of me that I had I never seen before. I was assertive and vocal and for the first time in my life, I enjoyed dirty talk.

I surprised myself when I woke up and decided to try waking Edward up in a most unusual way. Old Bella never would have been bold enough to initiate sex. Despite his playful aggressiveness, I had never felt so loved and treasured as I did last night. None of my other partners had ever been aggressive with me before like Edward was, but I had to admit, I liked it. A lot. I was very glad I didn't have neighbors that were close by.

When I saw Edward at the bar, I never would have thought this was where we would have ended up. After our talk in the kitchen last night, it felt like the natural progression of our relationship. I had epically failed part of the test that Tanya had forced upon us, but I had learned from my mistakes. I refused to let my stupid insecurities ruin what could be the best thing that ever happened to me. No matter what my insecurities told me, Edward had never given me reason not to trust him. Trust could beat any insecurity. Trust _meant_ security.

I carefully slipped out of bed, threw on a robe, and gingerly walked into the kitchen. Thanksgiving was only two days away and I needed to see what I would need to buy at the store for the family dinner. It was our tradition that I would make Thanksgiving dinner for Charlie and me. Well, to be honest, if we wanted to eat anything at all, it was best that I made the meal because Charlie couldn't boil water without burning the house down. I enjoyed cooking immensely so it was never a hardship. I quickly came up with the menu then made a list of things I would need to buy before heading out to work for the afternoon.

I also needed to call Charlie about the addition to the dining table. My stomach twisted, imagining how awkward telling my dad who Edward really was and why we lied about his name back in August. I blushed and hoped my dad would understand.

I double checked my grocery list and went through my little book of coupons to see which ones I needed. I was in the middle of the P's, digging through a stack of Pillsbury coupons, when I felt two arms wrap around me from behind and a familiar scent waft across my face. Edward nuzzled my neck and planted a warm kiss on my neck.

"Morning, love," he said softly, his voice still sleepy.

"Morning," I replied, my voice full of love.

I turned in his arms and looked up into his sleep puffy face. I pecked his chin, his scruff tickling my lips. He smiled down at me and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

"Whatcha doin?"

"Well I just finished my grocery list and I was checking to see what coupons I had to use before I go to the store. I need to start working on Thanksgiving dinner today before I go to work."

"Care for some company to the store?"

"Do you think there is any danger of you getting recognized since your interview was just on last night?"

Edward thought a moment. "I'm not sure, but I'll wear my Mariner's hat. We have to start dealing with this now, so we might as well start getting used to it. It will only be a matter of time before I'm spotted or they figure out who you are."

I nodded and my stomach tightened over the thought of being hounded by his fans or paparazzi.

"I can stay home if it this makes you uncomfortable, Bella," he said, seeing the unease on my face.

"No, you're right. I need to get used to stuff like that, so I might as well start today. Do you feel like whipping up breakfast while I pop in the shower?"

Edward ran a hand down my back as he slowly smiled. "I can join you in the shower and still make breakfast…." He offered suggestively.

I laughed and swatted him in the chest. "I'm sure you could, but we would never get out of the bathroom or get to the store before I have to be at the bar. I'll take a rain check on the shower."

I could see the disappointment on his face but it quickly went away as he smiled at me again. "As long as you promise." His eyes twinkled. "Go hop in the shower. I'll have something tasty ready for you by the time you are done."

After my shower, we ate quickly but not hurriedly. Edward made a simple breakfast of over-easy eggs, turkey bacon, wheat toast, and coffee. Thank God the man knew his way around a coffee maker. I couldn't survive without at least one cup of coffee. Well, I could, but no one would want to find out what I was like without coffee. It wasn't pretty. Edward showered quickly as I cleaned up the breakfast dishes.

When he came into the kitchen with his hair still wet, I seriously contemplated pushing him back into my bedroom and having my way with him. He chuckled and raised an eyebrow as he watched the hungry expression on my face.

"You okay, love?"

I took a deep breath to try to shake off my lustful thoughts. "Yes, but you are far too good looking for your own good."

His smile widened into a smug smirk. "That's what all the ladies tell me."

I rolled my eyes. "Ass."

I gathered my things and started walking to the front door. "Come on, Mr. Cullen."

The drive to the store only took a few minutes. The parking lot was thankfully not crowded, which surprised me this close to Thanksgiving. Edward slipped on his Mariner's cap as he stepped out of my truck. He quickly clasped my hand in his and we entered the store.

We acted like a couple of goofy teenagers in the produce section, making lewd gestures with the cucumbers and eggplants. Several older women shot us dirty looks as they passed our cart. It just made us laugh harder. We had moved into the frozen foods section where we were deciding on what turkey to buy when I heard someone call my name.

"Bella? Hey, Bella!" It was a nasal, high-pitched woman's voice, one that I never enjoyed hearing. I never liked her when we were in school and my opinion of her had not improved as we grew into adulthood. I tried to avoid being here when I knew she was working.

I turned slowly as I tried to keep the distain from my voice. "Hi, Lauren."

Lauren Mathews, one of the most fake people I ever had the displeasure of knowing, sauntered up the aisle to where we were standing. Even in November, her skin was tanned and hair bleached blonde. I noticed her chest looked a lot bigger than the last time I saw her. Her breasts were practically bursting out of the polo shirt she was wearing as a part of the grocery store's employee uniform. Every button was undone and the fabric strained at the seams. It was nice to know she continued to support the local plastic surgeon, namely her much older husband. Now she had something plastic to match the nose she got a few years ago. Thankfully, Edward was still bent over in the freezer case digging through frozen turkeys.

"How are you? It's been so long since I've seen you. What brings you here?" Lauren asked with fake enthusiasm.

I rolled my eyes and bit back a sarcastic response. Why would a person be in a grocery store if not to buy groceries? I wondered if the peroxide had finally eroded what few brain cells she had.

"I'm fine, Lauren, thank you for asking. We are just picking up a few things for Thanksgiving dinner." I really hoped she would be on her way quickly.

Before Lauren could respond, Edward stood up with a frozen turkey in his hands. As he stood, his head brushed our grocery cart and knocked his hat off. His unruly bronze hair burst forth in all its glory. Lauren's eyes widened as her smile became predatory. She slid over to Edward, scooping up his hat in the process, making sure he would be able to get a good view of her posterior as she bent over. Edward looked over at me with an amused expression as he put the turkey in our cart. I rolled my eyes at Lauren's antics, thankful that Edward could see right through her.

Lauren handed Edward his hat while she dragged her other well-manicured hand down his chest. "Well, well, well… who do we have here?" she purred.

Edward gingerly took his hat from her hand, put it on his head, and removed her other hand from his chest. He took a step closer to me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Lauren, this is my boyfriend, Edward. Edward, this is an old classmate of mine, Lauren Matthews," I grudgingly introduced. Lauren continued to ogle Edward up and down, her smile not leaving her face. Lauren held her hand out and Edward shook it briefly before quickly letting go. She looked slightly disappointed but kept the smile on her face.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Edward." Lauren said. "You look familiar, although I thought I knew all the handsome men in town."

Edward shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Uh, thanks."

Lauren turned her fake niceness my way again. "So, Bella, how long have you two been together?"

"About three months."

"How sweet," Lauren replied, dripping with condensation. "Young love."

I narrowed my eyes at her, having grown tired of her tone and attitude. "Well, we all couldn't have been so lucky to marry a plastic surgeon, Lauren. I'll have to make do with my lot in life." My voice was rife with sarcasm. Edward tried hard to hide his laughter.

"Oh, Bella, its okay," Lauren said, waving her hand dismissively, totally missing my sarcasm. "Even you would find someone eventually, someone who wasn't concerned about appearances."

_Excuse me?_ I had to fight the urge to slap her right there in the middle of the store. My face flushed with anger and furious tears welled in my eyes. Edward felt the tension in my body and squeezed my side in commiseration. I glanced up at him, noticing that his jaw was stiff with anger. What was sad was that Lauren wasn't trying to be intentionally malicious with her comments. Her view of the world was so warped that she actually believed what she said was true.

"Excuse me, Lauren," Edward stated coldly with distain and dislike in his voice, "not everyone thinks fake boobs, nose jobs, and spray tans make women beautiful."

Lauren's face flushed from his words and the ice in his voice but he wasn't done yet.

"Bella is the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Her beauty is natural and comes not just from her physical appearance, which I find extremely appealing, but who she is underneath. No matter how much silicone your husband pumps into your body, you will never hold a candle to Bella."

I stared at Edward in awe; the tears that welled in my eyes a moment ago in anger were now spilling down my face in happiness. Lauren, on the other hand, backed up a few steps, her face pale and hands trembling.

"Well, I never!" she huffed.

"And you never will," I added, as Lauren turned away from us and quickly walked towards the front of the store.

I couldn't help but laugh over the whole situation. Edward rolled his eyes and looked at me incredulously.

"You went to school with that?"

"Unfortunately, yes. That little display was actually nice for Lauren. She was never that friendly during high school. The silicone must be seeping into her brain and making her friendlier."

"Wow." Edward chuckled.

"Yep." I shook my head and smiled up at Edward, kissing him gently on the lips. "Now let's finish our shopping."

We had only gone down the aisle a few feet before something about our exchange with Lauren came back to me.

"Hey, Edward?"

"Hey, Bella?" he mocked.

"How did you know she had a nose and boob job?"

Edward laughed loudly, startling a few customers further down the aisle. "I've seen all kinds of plastic surgery in Hollywood, and poorly done plastic surgery like hers is easy to identify. She may think she is all that here, but she would be woefully out of her element in Hollywood. The silicone barbies in LA would eat her alive."

I laughed and kept walking down the aisle.

Edward's face became contemplative as we scanned the bakery department for a decent loaf of brioche. "That's what is sad about Hollywood. People see how most of the women of Hollywood look and comment on how beautiful and perfect they are, but they don't see how much plastic and Botox it took to make those women that way. Beauty is not in perfection but it is in our imperfections. It is what makes each of us unique."

I turned to look at Edward in surprise and admiration. "Who knew Edward Cullen was a philosopher?" I quipped.

He gave me his trademark crooked smile and waggled his eyebrows at me. "I have my moments, Bella Swan," he commented.

I found the loaf that was destined for my Thanksgiving stuffing and gently put it in the basket. I looked over my list one final time to make sure I had everything.

"We have everything on my list. You ready to check-out, baby?" I asked Edward, as I began digging through my purse for my wallet.

"Sure thing, sweetheart." Edward turned the cart towards the front of the store and followed me towards the checkout. There was only one line open, but the cashier wasn't there. He started to unload our groceries onto the belt as I idly glanced at the new tabloid offerings at the checkout rack while we waited for the cashier to return. If memory served me right, new issues were released on Tuesdays.

"That didn't take long," I commented dryly, looking at a picture of Edward on the front page of one of the gossip rags with 'Who is Bella?' blazoned across the top. Several other magazines had similar headlines inquiring about Edward's mystery woman.

Edward glanced over and grimaced. "Someone had to have leaked a transcript of my interview for you to be mentioned in the headlines already. If the interview was live, they probably wouldn't have known your name early enough to make press time." He looked at the covers a bit more closely. "Figures. At least they could've used a better picture of me."

I snorted. Of all the things to notice about the articles, he was most concerned about his picture. "Vain much?"

He rolled his eyes as he placed my treasured loaf of brioche on the belt. "I'm fairly consistent fodder for the tabloids, so there really isn't a point in getting upset about the articles. Most of them are grossly inaccurate and it's pointless to try to correct all of them. So, if I'm going to be gossiped about, they could at least use a good picture of me. This will only be the tip of the iceberg once they find out who you really are."

"Hey, should we buy one?" I asked, giggling.

"And draw even more attention to ourselves? Sure, why not?" Edward retorted sarcastically.

"Oh my God!" Lauren's nasal exclamation caused both of us to spin around towards the sound of her voice. By our dumb luck, she was our cashier and had just returned with her cash drawer for the register.

Lauren quickly slid her drawer into the register and waved her hands in front of her face in excitement. "I know why you looked familiar to me!" she squealed at Edward, having completely forgotten about his earlier snub of her attentions.

She ran over to the tabloid display and grabbed several copies of the magazine we were just talking about and held one up to his face. "You aren't just some random Edward, but _the_ Edward Cullen! Oh my God! I think I'm going to faint!" Lauren's face flushed as she fanned herself with the magazines.

"And you're the Bella that they're referring to?" she asked incredulously. I merely looked at her. I wasn't in the mood to humor her.

Lauren looked back to Edward and held the magazine out to him. "Will you sign this?" Lauren begged, her manicured hands clawing at the newsprint.

I wanted to puke. I couldn't believe how Lauren was behaving. Edward looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Just ring up our groceries, Lauren," I said in exasperation, tapping my foot impatiently.

Lauren ignored me, completely focused on Edward. "Oh Eddie, I loved you in _Eclipse_," she gushed. "I can't believe I'm actually talking to a movie star! And I can't believe that I know who his mystery girlfriend is! My friends are not going to believe this!" She was still trying to push a copy of the gossip magazine in front of Edward as she dug around for a pen.

My anxiety skyrocketed. Lauren knowing who I was in relation to Edward was just asking for attention from the paparazzi. She would not be able to keep her mouth shut. _Well, we knew this would happen eventually, that I'd be discovered._ I had hoped that we'd have more time to ourselves before that happened. _I guess I'll have to let Jessica off the hook. _

"Please? Will you please sign this?" she begged, as she finally found a pen and brandished it like a sword.

"I will as soon as we have paid for our groceries," Edward said quietly, as he looked at me nervously.

"Oh!" Lauren happily exclaimed as she remembered what she was actually there to do. She made quick work of scanning our groceries and bagging them up. I walked to the card reader with my debit card in hand when Edward pulled out his own debit card.

"Edward, I can pay for this," I complained. I loved the fact he always wanted to help out, but I was fully capable for paying for my groceries myself.

"I know, love, but I want to. After all, I'll be eating some of this so I should help pay for it."

I rolled my eyes. "We can discuss this later. Just let me pay for this so we can get out of here."

Edward thankfully did not argue with me. I knew he was going to try to find some way to _help_ at some point between now and Thanksgiving. I'd have to check my purse for any odd wads of cash stuffed in there later and find some way of returning them to his wallet without him noticing.

Just as we were walking away with our cart of groceries, Lauren cleared her throat and came prancing over to Edward with the magazine and pen in hand.

"You promised," she pouted, batting her eyelashes at Edward. I choked back a laugh at how ridiculous she looked. Lauren glared at me. I fought the urge to flick her off.

Edward pulled his hat closer down over his forehead in exasperation as he took the proffered pen in his other hand. He quickly scribbled his signature across the front of the magazine cover and tossed the pen back to Lauren. Before she could say anything else to him, he turned and walked away, pushing the cart as he went.

I shot an evil look at Lauren as we left. She knew where my father and I lived, and I did not want any uninvited visitors. I did not put it past Lauren to stop by under the guise that she was in the area just to try to see Edward again and draw more attention on herself or to call some media outlet and share her news with them. I hoped my look would deter Lauren from going through with any of those ideas.

The drive home was just as quiet as our ride there was, however this time Edward appeared deep in thought. He quietly helped me carry the groceries in and put them away. We had to do some creative organizing to find a spot for the turkey in the fridge. I doubted we would be able to fit anything else in there even if we tried.

Edward stood at my kitchen sink, still thoughtful. He hadn't spoken much at all since we had gotten home. The atmosphere around him wasn't tense, but I could feel that something was bothering him. I let him stew for a few minutes more as I got ready for work. He was standing in the same spot as before when I reappeared. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"What's wrong, Edward?" I asked, laying the side of my face into his back and inhaling his scent.

I felt him breathe deeply as he rested his hands on top of mine.

"Just worried, love."

"About what?"

He took another breath before responding. "I don't doubt for a second that Lauren is on the phone with somebody excitedly telling them who she saw at the store and who my mysterious girlfriend really is. Once word gets to the media, they will swarm around here likes bees to honey. I wouldn't worry so much about it if you had adequate security measures in place, but you don't, so there is nothing to stop the paparazzi from getting too close and completely invading your privacy."

"Oh," was all I could say, too startled by his thoughts. It was one thing for me to think them, but Edward stating them just made the reality of what Lauren knew that much more real. I figured Lauren would tell her friends about Edward, but I hoped she wouldn't go to the media, at least not yet. Hell, she was such a gossip that her friends may not even believe her story about Edward and me, but all it would take was one person to believe her and call TMZ or some other celebrity stalking company. I could realistically see Lauren being the one to make the call. She would love to have that fifteen minutes of fame for being the one to reveal Edward's big secret.

I groaned as various scenarios involving Lauren, her gossipy friends, and the paparazzi chasing Edward and I went through my head. I stopped myself before it got out of control. I wasn't going to allow Lauren to make my life difficult. I would be prepared and ready for whatever was coming.

"What do I need to do?"

Edward responded quickly. He must've already had a list in his head. "At a minimum, you should have a high fence around the property with a gated entrance connected to a security system. I'd also like it if you had a bodyguard, but for now, the security system and fence should be enough."

I did not like the idea of having a bodyguard. The idea of having someone follow me around all day made my skin crawl. I didn't know how Edward put up with it, but I was agreeable to his other two recommendations. I knew I could get a security system put in quickly, but I wasn't sure about a fence in November during the week of a holiday.

"I should be able to get someone out here tomorrow to install a security system, but I will probably have to wait on getting a fence installed. How high should the fence be? Since I don't have a lot of neighbors in this part of town, I don't think there would be any height limits but I would need to check with the city. Thankfully, I already have a building permit so at least I don't have to mess with that."

Edward frowned and started to pace. "A proper security fence should be at least eight feet tall. You need something here sooner than later. Since I'll be here while you are working, I will have a security system installed today and do everything I can to get the fence put in too."

I could hear the dollar signs _ching_ as I mentally watched my bank account dwindle at the thought of getting this all done today. Getting it done so quickly always meant paying a premium.

"Just find out how much first before you order anything. I will need to know how much to pull from the bank." I shuddered at how much my savings was going to bleed for this.

Edward shook his head emphatically. "Don't worry about the cost. You wouldn't need any of this if it weren't for me. I brought this invasion of your privacy into your life, so let me at least pay for the necessary measures to keep you safe."

I wanted to argue further but he had dug his heels in and would not budge, no matter how much I begged and pleaded.

"Fine, if you must."

Edward beamed like I had just given him the greatest gift ever. I had never seen a man so happy to spend obscene amounts of money before. "Thank you, Bella." He wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. "I want to be able to keep you safe and this way I can. The set up I have back in my place in LA works pretty well, so I'll just have to see if I can replicate that here."

"But didn't you tell me that you rent your place in LA?"

"Yes, I do, but I still have had to deal with having property security measures in place due to the media and paparazzi. My landlord and I worked out an agreement. He didn't seem to mind when it raised his property value, and his other non-celebrity tenants liked the extra security."

"Oh, well that worked out good then," I said dumbly, not sure what else to say.

Edward leaned down and kissed me tenderly, still quite pleased that I was willing to let him pay for something. I loved the feel of his soft lips on mine, even if it was just for a moment. His hands ran up and down my back soothingly.

I regretfully pulled away, my body aching to re-establish contact with his. "Off to work I go. Come up to the bar later if you have time."

Edward nodded and kissed me chastely as I gathered my things to leave.

"Love you," he murmured into my hair.

"Love you."

I would never get tired of hearing him say that.

As I made the short trip into town, I called my dad to tell him about our additional guest for Thanksgiving dinner. He would probably yell at me for talking on a cell phone while driving, citing all the accidents that occured when drivers were distracted.

The dispatcher at the police station picked up on the second ring. "Vermilion Police Department, how can I help you?"

I thought I recognized the woman's voice but I wasn't sure. Charlie had told me that they just hired a new dispatcher a month ago.

"Chief Swan, please," I prompted politely. I heard the dispatcher hesitate. The chief of police normally did not get direct calls. "It's his daughter, Bella," I said quickly.

"Oh, of course, I'm sorry, Ms. Swan. I'm still getting used to everything here," the woman said, flustered. "I'll send you right through."

"Thank you, and please call me Bella."

"Alright, Bella, one moment please."

I barely listened to the public service announcement that was playing while I was on hold. Thankfully I was saved from listening to it in it's entirety by my father as he picked up the phone.

"Bella! How are you doing, sweetheart?" My father's gravely voice never failed to make me feel better. Despite having grown up primarily with my mother, I was a daddy's girl.

After my parents divorce, I spent a few weeks every summer with my father. Even in that short time together, we had grown close. We were able to enjoy each other's company without filling it with incessant chatter. While I never grew to love baseball as my father did, I had many pleasant memories of spending time with him in the living room of his house as he watched the Indians game while I read a book. It was quite unlike the time I spent with my mother who hated silences and would talk nonstop, no matter what was going on.

"I'm good, Dad, thank you. Anything exciting going on at the station today?" I held the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I used both hands to turn into the parking lot of the Midnight Sun.

"Not really. Vermilion is usually pretty quiet. We'll get some domestics later in the week. Holidays always bring out the best in people."

Ah, my father introduced the prefect segue to what I wanted to talk about. "I'm glad you mentioned the holidays, Dad, because that was the reason I called."

"Oh?" he prompted.

"First, can you see if any of the guys want to pick up some hours working security on Friday? I need some extra help Friday night at the bar. We are having some live music and the musician is a little more well-known than others we've had, and I'm expecting a crowd."

"Sure, Bella. I'll post a notice as soon as we get off the phone. I'm sure Tyler or Embry would probably jump at the chance for extra money. They've been asking for off-duty work."

"And the second part of what I wanted to talk to you about is Thanksgiving." I blushed as I got out of the truck and walked towards the entrance of the bar. My dad wasn't even here for me to see the look on his face but I could only imagine him with an eyebrow raised. "I invited someone to dinner with us. I hope you don't mind. It's been just the two of us for so long…"

"Uh… err…" My father mumbled. He never mumbles.

"Dad? Is that okay?" I was starting to panic now. "If you don't want to have anyone else over, I guess I can tell him to go home to his folks but-"

"Him?" Protective Father Figure showed himself at the mention of a member of the opposite sex and myself.

Now it was my turn to mumble. "Um, yeah. Do you remember Anthony, the guy that saved me from Mike Sullivan when he attacked me a few months ago?"

Angela smiled and looked at me curiously as I walked by the bar while I talked to Charlie. I smiled back and tried not to look as flustered as I felt. I quickly closed my office door and sat down at the desk.

"Yes," Charlie replied. "What was his last name again?"

_Shit! _"Um.. .Masen, Masen is his last name." I felt like crap for lying to him but we would tell him the truth on Thursday. "So, are you okay with him coming?"

Charlie appeared to regain his previous nervous mumbling. "Er, yeah... that should be fine…. Um…. Bells?"

My father's behavior was so out of the ordinary. It sounded like he was embarrassed. Nothing embarrassed my father, the chief of police, who had seen or heard just about everything possible.

"Yeah, Dad? What is it?"

I fidgeted with a pen on my desk as my computer powered up.

"Um, I guess we are going to have a bigger Thanksgiving than either of us anticipated."

"How so?" I was thoroughly confused now.

"I invited someone too," my father said softly. "Her name is Sue."

"Oh really?" I asked excitedly. My father had been alone for so long. I was ecstatic that he had a girlfriend.

My father picked up on my enthusiasm and was a little more forthcoming. "Yeah, and she's bringing her daughter along too. I think her daughter is about your age, maybe a year or two younger."

"That's great, Dad! I can't wait to meet them. How long have you been seeing Sue?"

"Um, awhile," he admitted. "Shortly after the whole Mike Sullivan incident."

I was floored. My father had managed to keep his relationship a secret for over two months? I was impressed. "Wow, Dad! I'm really happy for you. This is just so awesome. Thanksgiving this year is going to be very exciting!"

"Yes," Charlie agreed, "I think it will be."

We said our goodbyes as I got settled in my office. I was so incredibly happy for Charlie. He deserved some happiness. Thankfully, I had bought enough food for the additions, although that would mean hardly any leftovers.

Angela broke through my thoughts as she knocked on my office door, shortly before she opened it. "Hey, Bella."

"Hi, Ang," I replied, as I pulled up some of the files on the computer.

"So, how'd it go last night?" she asked.

_Well, she certainly didn't beat around the bush._

Angela wiggled her eyebrows at me suggestively. I blushed which made Angela burst out into giggles.

"Well, I'm glad you two made up."

I tried to ignore the innuendo that Angela was suggesting as I spoke. "Yeah, we were finally able to get a lot of things out in the open. Things are good."

Angela peered at me before her gaze turned naughty, "_How_ good, Bella?"

"Angela!" I loudly whispered, shocked. She hardly ever talked like that.

"Just teasing, Bella. I really didn't expect you to answer and I honestly really don't want to know."

"Oh thank God, otherwise I'd have to ask about you and Jacob."

That seemed to shut her up. I chuckled as I opened up the financial reports from the last quarter.

"Anyway, did you know my dad has a girlfriend?" I asked Angela.

Angela's face broke into a huge smile. "No, I didn't. That's great. Charlie is a good man."

"That he is. I'm very happy for him. I get to meet her and her daughter for Thanksgiving."

"Speaking for Thanksgiving, are we still closing early tomorrow night and closed on Thursday?" Angela asked, then spoke with up with another question. "Oh, is Edward going to dinner with you?"

"Yep, we are sticking with the same schedule we had last year. Edward will be joining us for dinner at Charlie's where I will introduce him with his real name. I am hoping that my Dad will be so shocked that he forgets where he keeps his service pistol and his shotgun."

Angela's jaw dropped, but she didn't say anything.

"Then on Friday, Edward will be performing a small show here at the bar. It's not going to be publicized, just whomever comes. I've already arranged for some extra security from the police department to help manage the crowds."

"Does Jessica know?"

I laughed. "Oh, she most certainly does! She is the reason why Edward is even doing the concert. He felt bad about what happened this summer and wanted to make up for it."

"That's nice of him."

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool. We will get a nice chunk of business from it too. Oh, we need to brainstorm about what to do with the media and paparazzi. I have a feeling it's going to get very crazy around here very soon."

"Oh really? What happened?" Angela asked worriedly.

"Well, after the interview last night, the tabloids are already out looking to figure out who I am. Edward and I didn't help that any by going to the grocery store earlier and being spotted by Lauren Matthews."

"Oh shit!"

I rarely ever heard Angela swear. I just stared at her for a moment in shock. "Yeah, and you know what a gossip she is. I am going to assume she's already called a few people. I don't want the staff to be distracted by anybody coming in asking questions, nor do I want my life upended any more than it already has been."

Angela pulled up a chair and we tossed ideas back and forth on how best to combat the inevitable media storm that was heading our way. We decided to draw up a non-disclosure affidavit for each employee to sign which was essentially a gag order on speaking about Edward and my relationship with him to anyone. We would also be hooking up our phones to an answering machine. The answering machine could wait until later when I could get to the story. The NDA needed to be done today. I printed up enough copies for everyone while Angela slipped out of my office to gather everyone for an impromptu meeting.

**A/N** **Thank you for reading! Please review! I post teasers in review replies (if you don't want a teaser, just let me know. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO: www (dot) twilighted (dot) net/forum/viewtopic (dot) php?f=44&t=9524**

**I have also signed up for the Fics for Nashville contest to help out the victims of the flooding. If there is something in particular you'd like me to write, drop me a line. I'm open to whatever. :D If you want information on Fics for Nashville, go here:** **einfach-mich (dot) livejournal (dot) com/67615 (dot) html**


	18. Chapter 18: Reality

**A/N Thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight**

**Special note: There is a small lemon written in this chapter but it is not the epically long one like in Chapter 16. Because this is a T rated story, it has been edited for the FF version. If you wish to read the lemon, drop me a line and I'll send you the excerpt or you can read the chapter in its entirety on Twilighted: www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/viewstory(dot)php**_**?**_**sid=7682 (replace the 'dot' with .)**

**Chapter Eighteen: Reality**

**BPOV**

People whispered and talked amongst themselves as they gathered around the bar, waiting for the meeting to start. I didn't call meetings often so I was sure speculation over what it was about was rampant. I just hoped everyone would go along with my decision. This would not only protect myself and Edward, but my employees and the bar itself.

Angela stood by my side as I explained the non-disclosure affidavit and why it was needed. Most of the staff knew I was in a relationship, but only Angela, Jessica, and Jacob knew who Edward really was. Jacob was finally enlightened by Angela after Edward's big reveal the night before. Angela said he was hurt I hadn't confided in him too, but he understood why we felt it was necessary. The reactions of my employees varied from disbelief to awe. I emphasized that I needed the affidavit signed to protect all of us, not just myself. Maybe I was jumping the gun by asking everyone to sign a non-disclosure affidavit, but I wanted to do whatever I could to protect myself and Edward's privacy. More and more people were finding out about us and we needed to be prepared. Most of my employees nodded, but a few didn't seem real happy about signing anything.

"I'm sure some of you don't like signing things like this, but I really feel that it is necessary for everyone here. I know it's essentially a gag order, but it is important."

"What about our right to free speech?" asked an angry voice from the back.

I sighed. This was exactly the kind of moral debate I did not want to get into. "As Americans, we all have the right to free speech and I'm definitely a supporter of that, however, just because you _can_ say something doesn't mean you _should._ Your words and actions will affect those around you, including their rights. This NDA is not saying you cannot speak of Edward or me ever to anyone, just not the media.

"What if we don't want to sign? You can't force us," sneered the same person.

_Alec. Figures._ _Of all the people here, he's the one I am not surprised to have a problem signing_. He was a good worker for the most part, but he was a hot-head, paranoid, and his temper was just waiting to get him into trouble. Alec was a big stickler for personal rights and was very anti-government. I think he had the ACLU on speed-dial. I had to argue with him just to fill out his job application and to give me his social security number. Alec was infuriated that I would have the audacity to have him sign yet another paper which, to him, limited his freedom of speech and provided a paper trail to the government. What also wasn't in his favor was his cockiness and arrogance, but it hadn't impacted his ability to do his job and I hadn't received any customer complaints. I wanted to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. No one was perfect.

"Alec, I can't force you to sign it and I can't fire you if you don't either. I've always been fair and honest with you and everyone else here, and I've treated everyone with respect. I am only asking for that same respect in return. Respect not only for myself and my personal life, but for yourself, the lives of everyone here, and the bar itself."

Alec rolled his eyes and shook his head in derision. A few of the others started to mock Alec. I raised my hands to quiet everyone. While I appreciated the support, I didn't want to make this situation any worse. A different source of motivation would be necessary to win Alec over.

"Since appealing to your heart isn't motivating to you, perhaps appealing to your wallet will," I said softly.

Alec's head whipped around in disbelief. "You can't fire me for refusing to sign that piece of crap."

"That is true," I nodded, "but I _can_ change your hours."

Alec's eyes widened as what I said sunk in.

"I don't want to do it this way, but I will if you force me. I'm sorry, but I _will_ protect myself, the bar, and everyone here," I said firmly, as I folded my arms across my chest.

"This is bullshit!" Alec yelled, storming up to me, his face red and eyes narrowed with anger. Jacob quickly sidled to me, his stance vigilant in case Alec tried to touch me. I was not afraid of Alec. Despite his attitude problems, I had never seen him be violent with anyone at the bar.

"I am not forcing you do to anything, Alec. You have a choice," I replied calmly.

"Ha!" he laughed humorlessly. "Some choice! I either sign it or I don't have a job. Working for a few hours a week is not a job." He grabbed the stack of forms roughly and threw them at me, causing the papers to fly everywhere. "I'm outta here." Alec turned and stormed out of the bar, slamming the door as he left.

You could hear a pin drop in Alec's wake. Everyone had stunned looks on their faces as the last of the affidavits fluttered to the ground. I sighed and began picking them up. Jacob and Angela bent down to help. The rest of the employees started murmuring amongst themselves, Alec's name frequently on their lips. After I had all the papers back in a neat pile on top of the bar, I cleared my throat to get everyone's attention again.

"Does anyone have any questions about the affidavit or anything else?" I asked, suddenly weary from the confrontation.

"What do we say if somebody asks about you or Edward?" one of the girls asked.

"You can either ignore the question or just say no comment. If someone starts harassing you, get Jacob or myself. I am also going to be increasing the security here too. If you are closing and want an escort to your car, someone will be available. The media and other sorts cannot come onto the property if I tell them to leave, but they can still get people as they come and go from the bar."

Eventually everyone signed the affidavits. Thankfully, Angela was also a notary public so she was able to notarize the affidavits once they were signed. I made copies of all of them, gave each employee a copy for their records and kept the originals locked in my office.

After I had finished putting them away, I noticed the light blinking on the office phone indicating that I had voicemail. It was such a rare thing to have messages that I had to dig around to find the password to access my messages. Once I did, I almost wished I hadn't. There were only a couple of messages but they weren't even an hour old. One was from _OK!_ And the other was _US Weekly_. Both wanted to know about me and my relationship with Edward. I didn't hesitate to delete them.

I sat there, stunned that only in the maybe two hours that Lauren found out about Edward, I already had calls from two different tabloids. _Thank God my home number is unlisted._ Lauren was never one to keep gossip to herself, so I shouldn't really have been surprised that she blabbed to the tabloids already. If I had gotten two calls already, I could only imagine more were coming as word got out. I wondered if they would still publish the stories if I never called them back? I doubted they would wait. I kept my phone hooked to voicemail so I wouldn't have to hear it ring all night. I also needed to give Edward the head's up that we had been outted.

Flipping my phone out, I quickly tapped out a message to Edward.

**-Lauren blabbed. I got vm's the bar asking ?'s-**

_**-That didn't take long.-**_

**-Nope. She wants her 15 min of fame-**

_**-You okay?-**_

**-Yeah. I expected it… sorta-**

_**-Security system being put in now. Fence 2morrow-**_

**-Good. Guess I really do need it now. Ty-**

_**-np, love-**_

**-U coming up to the bar 2nite?-**

_**-Not sure, I'll txt you-**_

**-k. love u-**

_**-love u-**_

I sighed and tried to keep from worrying about what this meant for Edward and me. We had finally crossed the point of no return. If we had ended things when he left, I would have continued on with my life in relative obscurity. Now, I was _known_. I definitely wasn't famous by any stretch, but if you googled my name now, more than just my Facebook profile and information about the bar would come up. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I knew when I got involved with him that this would happen, so I would just have to learn to deal with it.

Thinking over the last few days, I remembered what I said to Jessica about her job being on the line if anyone caught wind of Edward. I had to let her off the hook now. I couldn't in good conscious make good on my threat when it wasn't her who said anything. Plus she signed the non-disclosure affidavit as well, so I really had no reason to hold that over her head.

Determined to not let the tabloids and impending paparazzi invasion get me down, I went back to the floor of the bar to surround myself with the work I loved. Business was starting to pick up as people got home from work and stopped in for happy hour. I also expected to have some increase in business from the legal-aged college kids who were home for the holiday. The college crowd did not disappoint. While my bar wasn't the closest one to the center of town, it had a fairly loyal following of patrons who appreciated the lengths I went to keep the place clean and well-stocked with good quality beer and liquor. They kept the bar very busy that night.

It was almost eleven that evening before I had a chance to try to talk to Jessica. She was her normal bubbly self until she saw me wave her over to the side of the bar. Her whole demeanor changed, her shoulders slumped, a look of trepidation on her face. I felt bad for a moment at scaring her so much the day before, but at the time, I felt it was necessary to keep things under wraps.

"You needed me, Bella?" Jessica asked tentatively. She tried to hide her nervousness with a small smile.

"Yeah, do you remember what we talked about yesterday before I introduced you to Edward?"

Jessica nodded.

"Well, I wanted to let you know not to worry about it."

She looked at me confused. "But-"

"Jess, I have no real reason to hold anything above your head. You signed the NDA earlier just like everyone else. Plus, the paparazzi have already caught wind of Edward and me at no fault of your own. I really can't blame you for something that Edward and I did."

Jessica looked relieved but at the same time even more confused.

"Um, okay. Thank you, I think?" She laughed slightly. "What happened? How did they find out?"

"Edward was recognized at the grocery store earlier, right by the magazine racks. The cashier went nuts. I already have voicemails from some of the magazine companies."

Jessica's eyes widened in surprise. "No shit! Already?" Her normal happy personality was starting to come back out.

"Yep, you remember Lauren Mallory right? She married that plastic surgeon a few years ago?"

"Yeah, she's Lauren Mathews now…" Jessica cringed. I remembered that she and Lauren used to be very close in high school, but went their own ways after graduation. Jessica grew up and Lauren didn't.

"She's the one who recognized Edward and made a spectacle of herself at the store."

"Oh jeez. That sounds like Lauren." Jessica rolled her eyes, all too familiar with Lauren's antics.

"And she didn't waste any time before calling _US Weekly_ and _OK!_ I'm sure it's just a matter of days before the paparazzi swarm out here. I fully expect there to be a few of them here by Friday."

"The concert…"

I nodded. "It is a perfect opportunity for someone to get a good shot. There will be a lot of people here after all. I've already brought in extra security but still keep an eye out. If you see anything strange or unusual, let myself or Jake know."

"Okay. Wow, this is really real now isn't it?" Jessica asked softly.

"It sure is, Jessica," I murmured. So many things were changing so quickly.

Jessica seemed to notice my change in mood and looked at me with concern. "How are you holding up, Bella? I mean you knew who Edward was for months, but now that you guys are public… are you doing okay?"

I took a deep breathe to focus my thoughts and answer her honestly. "I'm trying to prepare myself the best I can for something I have absolutely no experience with and no basis for comparison. Edward has told me some of what he has gone through, but since I'm not him, my experience will be completely unique. To be honest, I'm a little afraid."

"Really?" Jessica seemed stunned. "Bella, you are one of the strongest people I know. I never would have thought anything would scare you."

I blushed slightly but continued. "Thank you, Jessica. I try to be, but dealing with the paparazzi and the media and the spotlight is nothing I've ever dealt with before. You know I'm a private person. To be thrust into the center of attention is a bit daunting for me. But, I won't be alone. I wouldn't be able to deal with this without Edward."

"You wouldn't have to deal with it period without Edward," Jessica said pointedly.

"True, but I'd rather deal with it with him than to not have him in my life at all," I replied softly. I had a feeling I was going to have to remember that in the months to come. I shook myself of my introspection and smiled at Jessica. "How are you dealing with this, Jessica? If I remember correctly, you were quite star struck by Edward."

Jessica smiled shyly. "Yeah, but it's different now since I've actually met him. He's just so… normal!" she exclaimed. I couldn't help but laugh as she continued. "I mean, before I actually met him, he was larger than life. Edward was this huge star and was just so untouchable, but when I met him in person, I realized that he's no different than you or I. He's an ordinary guy who just happens to be talented and incredibly good-looking."

_Wow. I never thought I'd hear those words come out of Jessica's mouth._ I reached over to hug her while I whispered, "Thank you." Jessica seemed surprised at the hug but quickly hugged me back. Standing up straight, I looked around the bar and smiled again. _No matter what happens, I will always have this._ "Now back to work!"

Jessica laughed and walked back over to her tables, several of which had empty drinks with thirsty patrons.

Edward was never able to make it up to the bar, which was probably good because several of the patrons were buzzing about the magazines we saw this morning at the grocery store. While none of them thought I was the Bella mentioned in the articles, I was teased about the coincidence throughout the night.

Alice stopped in briefly on her way to the airport. I never had a chance to meet up with her earlier, so I was glad she was able to say good-bye. She didn't know about the magazine articles yet but wasn't surprised. Alice commented that it never took the paparazzi long to jump on a new lead. After telling her about the phone calls, she said I should check online to see the latest stories. I'd have a better idea of what they had found out that way. I shuddered a little, remembering what I found out the last time I ventured online to the gossip sites. Alice left after about twenty minutes, parting with a big hug and promises to spend some girl time together when I was in Washington for Christmas. Girl time with Alice sounded daunting, but I had survived one shopping trip with her, so hopefully I could survive a second one.

When I got home, Edward showed me how to operate my new security system. There were alarm pads at both entrances to the house, motion sensors throughout the house, and a component that would eventually be attached to the fence that was being put in the next day. He also showed me pictures of the type of security fence I would be getting. I had to admit, it didn't look as bad as I was expecting. In my mind's eye, I had this very utilitarian, institutional looking fence that would stand out like a sore thumb. This was a tasteful, black fence that would blend into the property and match the style of my house. I was actually looking forward to seeing how it would look installed.

After discussing our days over a quick bite to eat, we got ready for bed. As I crawled into bed, I blushed remembering our intimacy from the night before. Edward seemed to be thinking the same thing as he looked at me with a shy smirk. He reached over and gently cupped my cheek in his hand.

"Love you, sweetheart," he said softly before gently kissing me.

I hummed with pleasure and snuggled against him. "Love you, too."

Curled up around each other, Edward and I drifted off to sleep. We were completely at peace in our little bubble while the world swirled around us, preparing to swoop down and invade our lives.

+o+o+

Wednesday started out like any ordinary day. Edward and I had breakfast as we talked over our plans for the next few days and Edward's return to California. He said he needed to make some calls to get things set up for the concert on Friday while the fence was being installed. When I pressed for details, he only smiled and wouldn't elaborate. I was intrigued by what he was planning. I had assumed he was going to play a low key acoustical set because he only had his acoustic guitar with him. Edward had connections everywhere, though, so anything was possible. He did manage to record that beautiful CD for my birthday while he was here after all.

When I arrived at the bar, I noticed a few extra cars across the parking lot but tried not to think about it. If they were photographers, as long as they weren't on my property and trying to annoy my patrons and personnel, I wouldn't worry about them. I posted a sign with our shortened holiday hours and our concert on Friday on the door when we opened.

I still hadn't heard from Alec, nor did I expect him to contact anytime soon. He could still blab to the media since he hadn't signed the NDA, but he really didn't know that much about my relationship with Edward. His paranoia of would hopefully keep him from contacting anyone. Thank goodness for small favors. I closed out his employee file and queued up his hours to be submitted for payroll so I could print paychecks later on. It was saddening that things ended the way they did with Alec, but he had always been temperamental and a little strange. Some of the girls were not comfortable working with him. He never did anything inappropriate, but was just different. It honestly was a relief to be done with him and his paranoid, defensive nature.

There were a few more messages on the voicemail from magazine and media outlets wanting to interview me. Some of the messages were from actual reasonable magazines and not just the tabloids. I wrote myself a reminder to ask Edward what his manager thought of the calls and what I should do about them besides ignoring them.

The rest of the evening went by as expected. The buzz from the tabloids had segued over to the upcoming concert on Friday. On the flyer on the door, I hadn't announced the performer; just that he was well-known and quite popular. I was asked throughout the night who the performer was, but I wasn't budging on my secret. The businesswoman in me knew that the hype and mystery about the concert would bring more people into the bar. While I didn't want a lot of paparazzi here to spoil things, I _did _want a crowd. The bar would make a lot of money that night, the profits of which I would pass on to my employees as a part of their Christmas bonuses. The concert itself was free, but people would drink while they were there.

I arrived home earlier than normal, though still after sundown, so I wasn't able to really see my new security fence that well. The gate across my driveway was hard not to miss however. I quickly texted Edward so that he would open the gate. Only seconds had passed before the gate soundlessly retracted. I was impressed. Edward proudly showed me the gate controls, including a concealed keypad outside the gate so I could gain entrance when no one was home. It was all quite superior in quality but blessedly uncomplicated. Despite my hesitance at having all this work done, allowing Edward to pay for it, I had to admit I felt safer. Having someone come into my bar was one thing. Having someone try to spy on me in the privacy of my own home was something else entirely.

The enormity of what Edward had done for me started to affect me causing my eyes to mist up suddenly. I wasn't used to someone trying to take care of me. Granted, my parents had when I was a child, but I was an adult now. This was a physical manifestation of Edward's regard for me. He cared so much for me that he wanted to make sure I was protected. I ran over to him, where he was standing on the other side of the room discussing some advanced feature of the security system, and grappled him in a hug.

He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled my hair. "Not that I mind, but what's this for?"

"For caring about me," I said simply, trying not to sniffle.

"Well, of course I care about you, silly girl. I love you." He pulled back slightly and lifted my chin with the tips of his fingers. His eyes danced with mirth and affection.

"I know, but still, this is all so amazing," I whispered.

"What, that I would want to protect you?"

"Not necessarily," I explained, "but the lengths that you went to do so. The fence, the security system, everything. It's overwhelming."

He looked down at me with concern. Before he could speak, I continued. "Not overwhelming in a bad way, just overwhelming. My life has irrevocably changed now."

"I'm sorry," he whispered sadly. "You wouldn't have to deal with this if I wasn't in your life."

Angry at myself for making him feel guilty, I hugged him tighter. "No!" I swore firmly. "I knew my life would change when we started this. I walked into this with my eyes wide open. I do not regret a single, solitary thing. I said this to Jessica yesterday, but it is just as true now as it was then: I'd rather have my life be changed with you than to have lived my life without you."

Edward smiled faintly as I leaned up on my toes and kissed him tenderly. "I love you, Edward. No fence, no paparazzi, no crazy ex-girlfriend will change that."

He hugged me tighter and deepened the kiss, his hands dancing up and down my body. The fire and electricity that I had come to recognize as unique to Edward's touch sizzled along my skin, gathering in my belly. I gasped for air as he nuzzled my neck, nipping and kissing his way back to my lips. This was home. This was where I wanted to be.

+o+o+

The morning of Thanksgiving, I woke up early to start working on dinner. It was difficult to leave Edward asleep in bed. He was far too tempting. After I shoved the turkey into the oven, I started to work on the pies. I was making two cooked pies and one refrigerated one. The refrigerated pie was easy to knock out first thing. I was deep into peeling and slicing apples for my mother's famous apple pie when Edward came shuffling into the kitchen.

"Mmmmm… apple pie," he moaned happily. "How did you know apple was my favorite?"

I tried to control my body's reaction to his moaning. Unfortunately, I wasn't successful. Edward's gaze dropped to my chest and his smile widened. I reached up and lifted his chin so he was looking me in the eyes again.

"I didn't. I made apple pie every year. This is my mom's recipe."

"I see," he replied. "Anything I can help with?" he asked as he stole a few slices of apple from the bowl.

I smacked him with a towel to keep him from dipping into the apples again and directed him to a pile of potatoes on the other end of the counter. "Yeah, can you peel and quarter those potatoes and put them in the pot of water on the stove?"

"Sure, love."

Edward and I spent the next several hours working on Thanksgiving dinner. It was comforting being together like this, like we were just ordinary people and Edward wasn't some famous movie star or musician. It was funny; whoever thought that Edward Cullen could be so domestic? He asked a few questions while we worked when he needed to find something, but mostly we worked in comfortable silence with the occasional affectionate glance or soft touch.

After the preparations were done, we hopped into the shower to get ready. Edward was hoping to shower together yet again, under the premise of conserving water, but I saw right through his game.

"Later, Edward. We'll be late if we do." I turned my back to him as I walked towards the bathroom.

He reached out and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his chest. Edward's lips ghosted by my ear as he spoke "I promise I'll be quick," he whispered.

I rolled my eyes. "Edward."

He chuckled as he took my earlobe in his mouth and sucked gently. My body reacted immediately as I hissed. His hands roved upwards. He groaned when he felt that I was not wearing anything underneath my shirt.

"Edward," I gasped breathlessly. He knew what kissing my ears did to me. He was playing dirty.

He released my earlobe and continued kissing down my neck. "Bella," he teased in between kisses. His hands gently tried to lower my resistence. It was getting harder and harder to resist him.

"Fine," I said, caving. "Five minutes," I demanded.

The experience with Edward was far different from our gentle love-making from earlier in the week. Rough sex definitely had its moments.

After we finished our shower and got dressed, we loaded up Edward's Volvo with all the food we prepared. The windows in the back of the car began to steam up from all the hot food.

Edward's leg bounced as we drove to Charlie's house. When we stopped at a light, he would furiously run his hands through his wild hair to try to tame it. It inadvertently emphasized the freshly "I just got laid" look on his face. I giggled.

He looked over at me, startled as we sat at one of the main intersections in Vermilion. "What?"

"You have sex hair," I teased.

Edward checked his appearance in the visor mirror and tried once again to tame his wild mane. "Shit!"

I laughed again. "It's fine, Edward."

He kept tugging on his hair. "No, its not. I don't want to walk into your dad's home for the first time on Thanksgiving Day looking like I just fucked his daughter!"

Edward really looked like he was worried about it. It was cute. I couldn't help but tease him a little bit more.

"But," I chuckled, "you did!"

Edward glowered at me. "That's beside the point!"

A car honked behind us reminding Edward that the light had turned green.

"Alright, alright," he muttered to himself as he drove through the intersection.

We pulled into Charlie's driveway about five minutes later. Edward checked his hair one more time before he leaped out of the car. I couldn't help but laugh at his nervous actions.

Charlie had the front door open before we got up the steps. He quickly stepped aside as Edward followed me into the kitchen. After we laid the last items down, Charlie reached over and pulled me into a very un-Charlie like hug. He was not normally very demonstrative of his affections.

"Hi, Dad. What's with the hug?" I chuckled into his shoulder. I felt him shrug as he released me.

"Eh, I just felt like it," he said gruffly, a little embarrassed. "I haven't seen you in awhile."

Charlie extended a hand to Edward. "Hi, Anthony. How are you?"

"Fine, sir. Thank you," Edward replied quietly, shaking Charlie's hand, while trying to tame his hair with his other hand.

"None of this sir business. Call me Charlie, Anthony."

Edward nodded and looked at me quickly. We wanted to tell Charlie about Edward before Sue and her daughter arrived.

"Er, Dad, I wanted to tell you something." I took Edward's hand in mine and he squeezed it encouragingly. Charlie looked back and forth between us quizzically.

Edward cleared his throat and squeezed my hand again. "Bella, let me," he offered. "Charlie, I have a confession to make." Charlie's face started turning red as Edward finished speaking.

"Jesus, Bella, you aren't pregnant are you?" Charlie interrupted, his face going from red to purple.

"What? No! Jeez, Dad!" I exclaimed. My face turned bright red in embarrassment. A quick look over at Edward's stunned face showed that he was blushing too.

Charlie looked back and forth between us again before his face eventually returned to its normal color. He must have seen what he was looking for on our faces as he nodded for Edward to continue.

"Charlie, when we first met, I introduced myself as Anthony Masen. That's actually my middle name. I'm most commonly known as Edward Cullen. My full name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen."

There, it was finally out to my father. I breathed a sigh of relief now that the worst was over, at least I hoped.

Charlie peered at Edward with a hard expression, like he was taking Edward's measure. To Edward's credit, he did not squirm under Charlie's penetrating gaze.

"Why the subterfuge?" Charlie asked. It was apparent to me that Charlie did not recognize Edward.

"It was to protect myself. I didn't want anyone to find out where I was, especially the media."

"The media?" Charlie's voice trailed off as he thought about what Edward said, realization slowly blooming across his face. His eyes widened as he looked at Edward again, then he started laughing.

"No wonder you looked so familiar. Sue and I just watched _Eclipse_ last night."

Edward bowed his head sheepishly and smiled at Charlie shyly. "I hope you enjoyed it."

"Eh, it was okay," Charlie admitted, which was quite the compliment from him.

"Thank you," Edward murmured.

I was very pleased that Charlie seemed to take it so well. No crazy questions or evil looks, besides him asking if I was pregnant, just him taking it all in stride and moving on.

The front door opened and Charlie's face broke into a huge goofy smile, one I had never seen before. He quickly excused himself and walked into the living room, leaving Edward and me in the kitchen.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that Sue has just arrived," I said in a wry tone. Edward nodded and pulled me into his arms.

We heard several voices as they approached the kitchen. Edward released me so we could greet the new arrivals. Charlie walked in grinning ear-to-ear, hand-in-hand with a pretty woman who wore a matching grin. A younger version of herself, presumably her daughter, came strolling right behind the couple with a cell phone flipped open in her hand. She looked up at us, did a double-take, then ran over to Edward.

"Edward? Edward Cullen?" The girl had a huge smile on her face as she reached out and hugged Edward. "What are you doing here?"

"L-Leah?" Edward asked shakily, clearly surprised and startled to see her. He hugged her back, but his response was stiff. Charlie and Sue's reaction were just as surprised as mine.

"Yeah, it's been awhile hasn't it?" She released him and glanced over at me apologetically. "I'm sorry, I just haven't seen Edward in over a year and I certainly didn't expect to see him in Ohio!"

"Er, Bella this is-" Edward was cut off in his introductions by Charlie, who finally found his voice.

"Bella, Edward, this is Sue Clearwater." Charlie gestured towards the woman standing next to him. "And that is her daughter, Leah."

"Uh, yeah, we met," Edward replied awkwardly.

Charlie's lips quirked in a smile he was trying to fight. It seemed he was enjoying Edward's discomfort.

"Clearly. Sue, this is my daughter, Bella, and her boyfriend, Edward."

"Pleased to meet you, both of you," I replied quietly. My mind was whirling, trying to figure out how Leah knew Edward and how _well_ she knew him.

Leah had walked over by her mother again but kept looking at Edward and me curiously. Sue smiled warmly at me, in a manner that reminded me of Renee. It was a pleasant reminder.

"Charlie has told me so much about you, Bella. I'm so happy to finally meet you," she said, her voice feminine and soft.

I looked down at my feet, slightly embarrassed. I felt my cheeks flame slightly. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist and squeezed gently.

"Thank you, Sue. I'm happy to meet you too. You seem to make my father very happy." While I had not heard of her prior to this week, the look on his face was evidence enough of how happy he was with her.

Sue blushed prettily and looked over to Edward. "How do you know Leah, Edward?"

Edward's eyes widened and I felt him tense next to me. "Um, through her cousin Seth. He's one of my best friends and we work together a lot." Leah giggled.

Sue's eyebrows shot up. "Seth? Really? So are you an actor too?"

"Erm, yeah."

She peered at him a bit closer, making him fidget under her gaze. "Edward _Cullen_…. ah yes! No wonder you looked familiar." She smiled hugely at Edward, making him sigh with relief. "You were in _Eclipse,_ right? Charlie, didn't we just watch _Eclipse_ last night?"

Edward and Charlie nodded at the same time. It was kind of funny. A nervous giggle bubbled out of my mouth.

"Well, you did a great job, Edward. It was a good movie. I'm glad you are friends with Seth. How is he doing?" Sue's genuine and friendly attitude helped defuse some of the awkward tension from the room.

"Thank you, Ms. Clearwater. Seth is a good guy. I'm lucky to have him has a friend. I talked to him last on Monday and he was doing well," Edward replied quietly.

Charlie cleared his throat and all eyes zeroed on him. "Well, all the food that Bella and Edward brought is getting cold. Shall we eat?"

I turned to the table to start getting the food ready for the dining room table. Sue got drinks. Edward moved to join me until I shook my head and motioned for him to join the others in the dining room. "Go ahead, Edward. I've got it. I'll holler if I need help."

He looked dubious and a bit nervous, but he joined the others. I laughed to myself as I got dinner ready. I was a bit surprised that Edward knew Sue's daughter, but if she was the cousin of one of his best friends, It wasn't such a strange thing. The coincidence of my father dating his best friend's aunt was stranger than him knowing Leah. I tried to contain any latent jealousy I had towards Leah as I scooped mashed potatoes into a serving bowl. Edward had more than proven his loyalty to me, and Leah had even said that she hadn't seen him in some time. It was obvious that they knew each other well, but I did not pick up on any romantic vibes from her.

I heard laughter coming from the dining room and smiled. I was glad everyone was getting along. Gathering up a few of the dishes, I walked into the dining room and laid them on the table with a small flourish. Edward was sitting on the far side of the table, with an empty seat next to him. Charlie sat at the head of the table and Sue to his right, opposite of Edward. Leah sat next to Sue. The chair at the other end of Charlie was also vacant. Edward caught my eye as I walked by and smiled, shooting me a wink. I blushed and returned to the kitchen for the rest of the dishes.

After putting the last of the dishes on the table, I turned to sit down. Before I could, Edward rose and pulled my chair out for me. I blushed and sat down quietly. I looked across the table and saw Charlie appraising Edward with approval. Sue was smiling sweetly and Leah was fiddling with her phone. "Thank you, Edward," I whispered.

Once Edward took his seat next to me, he leaned over and kissed the side of my head. "You're welcome, sweetheart."

My heart felt like it was going to burst with how sweet Edward was being. He was always sweet to me, but to show this kind of affection in front of my father was endearing, brave, and possibly stupid depending on how Charlie took it. At the moment, Charlie seemed to be charmed by Edward's treatment of me.

"Everything looks great, Bella," Sue offered. Charlie agreed gruffly.

"Thank you. Edward helped with some of it."

"Yeah, so if something doesn't taste right, you can blame it on me," Edward joked.

Charlie chuckled as he took a sip of his water. Setting his glass down, he looked at all of us happily. "It has been some time since Bella and I have been in the presence of such welcome company. Thank you for joining us for Thanksgiving."

Edward, Sue, and Leah smiled and each replied with some version of 'you're welcome' or 'it was my pleasure.'

Being unusually communicative, Charlie spoke again, "Well, shall we toast and say what we are thankful for this year?"

Everyone raised their glasses and Charlie cleared his throat again as he prepared to make the toast. He remained thoughtful for a moment, while we all looked at each other and back to Charlie.

"Sorry about the delay, kids. I'm not known for being long-winded so I wanted to say the right thing," Charlie apologized.

"Dad, whatever you say will be fine," I murmured.

Charlie smiled and squared his shoulders. "Okay, I propose a toast to new beginnings, to family and friends, to love, to happiness, to all of us."

"To us," we echoed. I was stunned. That toast was very eloquent, which was highly unusual for Charlie. It was touching. Sue really was having a good affect on him.

"That was beautiful, Dad," I complemented. Charlie blushed, actually blushed, before he glanced over at Sue, who was shyly looking down at her plate.

"Thank you, Bells."

We started passing dishes around, our plates slowly filling up. We were pretty quiet but it was comfortable. No one wanted to break the spell that Charlie created with his toast. After all the plates were filled, Charlie held his hands out to Edward and Sue. Sue took his hand quickly, but Edward looked back at me slightly confused.

"It's a tradition that when we say what we are thankful for, we hold hands," I whispered. He nodded and took Charlie's offered hand and then wrapped his hand around mine. Suddenly shy, I reached across the table to Leah who looked happy and comfortable to be at our table. She took my hand with a smile and was already holding her mother's other hand.

"I'll start," Charlie said. This was also a new development. I usually said grace or made the toast and had to prod Charlie to say what he was thankful for that year. I was really beginning to like Sue if this more extroverted Charlie was a product of her presence in his life.

"I'm thankful for my health, my family, and new friends, and… new love." Charlie whispered the last part, causing Sue's face to pop up and stare at Charlie. Her eyes filled with tears as a dusky blush rose in her olive skin. Sue squeezed Charlie's hand tightly, and I suddenly felt like I was intruding on an intimate moment.

"I love you too, Charlie," she whispered. Charlie's smile lit up the room. Both of them were glowing.

"Eww, Mom, really? Get a room you two!" Leah teased with a smile on her face.

"I just happen to have one," Charlie replied, quite happy with himself.

"Oh my God, Dad, did you really have to go there?" I whined. I was happy for my father, but I really did not want to hear about his sex life, even in jest.

Everyone laughed as we continued down the line. Sue had sentiments similar to Charlie's. Leah made some generic comment about friends and family. She seemed nice but kept glancing at her phone as it buzzed periodically. When it was my turn, I suddenly got nervous. Edward squeezed my hand in encouragement.

I thought quickly and took a deep breathe before speaking. "Um, I'm thankful for my family, friends, and the Midnight Sun. I'm thankful for Edward, for his love and trust. My life changed irrefutably the day he walked into my bar. I'm thankful for the future, and for great things to come."

I looked at Edward shyly from under my lashes. His breath caught as he looked at me. His hand gripped mine tightly as his verdant eyes were flooded with love and hope. I got lost in his gaze and forgot anyone else was in the room but him. It wasn't until Charlie quietly cleared his throat that we came back down to Earth.

"Um, yeah, right. Sorry about that," Edward said to everyone as he blushed.

My face was flaming as I stared at my plate.

"So anyway, um, I'm thankful for my family, great friends," Edward began. Leah looked over at Edward at that point and smiled softly as he continued, "for Bella, without her I don't know where I'd be right now, for her love and understanding, for being herself, for seeing me as I am, for everything that she is."

After he finished, no one said anything as hands unclasped. I noticed that Charlie and Sue continued to hold hands, as did Edward and I. Charlie and Sue stared at Edward, in awe of his declaration. Leah looked surprised but happy. I was simply stunned stupid. He had declared his love for me on national television but for him to say what he did in front of my family, in this intimate dinner, meant more to me than I could ever say. I was touched to my core. It was a moment I would never forget.

"Okay, enough sappiness. The food is getting cold. Let's eat!" Charlie declared effectively breaking the mood, which was a relief from the intensity of the emotions that were swirling around.

**A/N Please review… and as always, teasers for the next chapter will be given with reviews. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO: www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=9524 (replace the 'dot' with .)**

**I have also signed up for the Fics for Nashville contest to help out the victims of the horrible flooding. I have written an AU outtake for BFtO that is **_**quite**_** enjoyable. If you want to read it, along with a ton of other submissions by lots of great others, donate! :D If you want information on how to donate to Fics for Nashville, go here: einfach-mich(dot)livejournal(dot)** **(replace the 'dot' with .)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Finally, yes I know, I have been quite remiss on updated. RL kicked me in the ass and my betas had RL issues going on too. ****Thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. **

**Please also note that in the past I have tried to update every week. That kind of updating schedule is pretty grueling to keep up with everything else I have going on so I am going to be updating every other week now. Chapter 20 will be up on or around July 2****nd****. Chapter 21 will be up on or around July 16****th**** and so on.**

**And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Nineteen: Thanksgiving**

**EPOV**

It wasn't a day too soon to have that security fence installed. When Bella texted me about already having calls from the tabloids, I sighed with resignation. We both knew it was going to happen; I just wished we had more time before my life invaded hers. Lauren was really a piece of work. She reminded me so much of the people I hated to associate with in Hollywood. It was incredibly hard to find honest, genuine people there. If you did, more often than not, they were in the unemployment line or looking for a way out.

Getting the fence and security system installed wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be. I didn't even have to pull any punches. When I was nonplussed by any extra charges for same-day installation, they were willing to do just about anything I asked. Personally, I was relieved to not have to throw my name around. I hated doing that, although it did have its advantages from time to time. After making the calls to get the fence and security system installed, I worked on some music for the concert on Friday. I only had my acoustic guitar with me and some of the songs I wanted to play called for an electric. Idly, I considered calling Seth or Marcus to see if they could ship my prized Gibson electric guitar to me, but I was too worried about it being damaged in the mail. That guitar was custom-made and not cheap, even by my standards.

I scrolled through the list of contacts on my phone as I sat on the living room couch. I needed to call in a few favors. I said a quick prayer in hopes that he hadn't changed his number before dialing. I hadn't seen him in years, and it had been awhile since the last time we talked. I genuinely missed his friendship but our lives went in different directions and we grew apart. The phone rang only a few times before a deep but friendly voice answered.

"Hello?"

_God, he sounds exactly the same as he did in college_. I took a deep breath and tried to rein in my nerves. "Hey Garrett, it's Edward Cullen. How are you doing?"

"Cullen? How the hell are you doing? I haven't heard from you in a long time!" Garrett exclaimed, with a slight southern twang to his voice.

"Yeah, it has been awhile. Things were weird for awhile but I'm doing much better."

"That's a good thing." In typical guy fashion, Garret didn't pry for any additional details about the 'weird'ness. "So to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, curious and friendly. I couldn't help but smile. _He is always right to the point._

"Well, I was hoping you weren't busy on Friday and felt like jamming with me, like old times." I held my breath and hoped, waiting for his response.

"Jamming, eh? It definitely has been a long time."

"You still play, don't you?" I asked. Last I heard, he had a couple of guys he played with regularly down in Nashville.

"Oh yeah, of course. My boys and I still kick it around down here. You'd like it." Garrett commented.

"You know, Garrett, I probably would," I replied wistfully. "So, you feel up to a trip? Bring your boys with you if you want. I actually need a whole band."

This was perfect. Garrett played bass, but I still needed a drummer, and possibly another guitar player.

"Don't you have a band that tours with you?" he asked, puzzled.

"Err, I did, when I was on tour several months ago before my label dropped me," I said quietly.

There was a moment of silence before Garrett spoke up again. "Oh shit, sorry man. I thought I heard something about that earlier this year."

"Yeah, like I said before, things were weird for awhile."

Garrett thought a moment before answering, humming a bit as he considered his response. "What kind of gig are we talking about here?"

"Just a local bar, small place, nothing fancy."

"Where at?"

"Vermilion, Ohio."

"Where?" Garrett exclaimed.

"Vermilion. It's this small town on the outskirts of Cleveland."

"Edward, what are you doing in Ohio?"

"It's a long story. Perhaps I can fill you in once you get here," I replied hopefully.

"You know, I haven't been to Cleveland in a long time, Edward. I'll be there. I'll check with my boys to see if they can make it up, too."

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding. "Thank you, Garrett. Thank you so much, man. You have no idea how much this means to me. Let me know how you are coming up and if you need any equipment. I only have my acoustic here so I'm going to make some calls to get my hands on a Gibson electric."

Garrett let out a chuckle. "No problem, Edward. It'll be great to jam with you again."

We talked a little bit longer, ironing out the details for the concert. I told Garrett that I would email him the address of the bar as well as clips of some of the music I was going to be performing. Since some of it was not recorded, I would need to give him the chord progressions so he would be able to familiarize himself with what I had in mind. Only a couple of the songs had real strong bass riffs that he would need to know. He was one of the best bassists I knew, so I didn't think he'd have any problems with what I sent him.

As we hung up, both of us looked forward to reuniting in a few days. I reflected on when things were simpler, when Garrett was one of my boys and jamming together was a regular thing. He and I had met in college at freshman orientation. The advisor that was heading the orientation put everyone in groups of two as we went through campus. I was partnered up with Garrett. He was very curious and asked me a million questions as we ignored the advisors walking monologue through the University of Washington's campus. Garrett's insane curiosity started to annoy me until we started talking about music. We discovered we had a lot of things in common, most importantly that we both had a band in high school. After the orientation was over, we swapped phone numbers and agreed to meet up in one of the practice rooms of the music building to jam later in the week.

Our styles meshed easily. We only meant to play for about an hour, but time got away from us as we were immersed in our music. Four hours passed before my phone buzzed with a text message from a girl I was supposed to have met up with thirty minutes prior for burgers. Garrett and I laughed and decided that playing together should become a regular thing. He knew a few people already on campus and within a few weeks, we had a new band formed. We all seemed to get along well. Garrett and I often spent time outside of our rehearsals working on new music. I did most of the song writing, but Garrett could usually come up with a gem. After we had some original music down, we started trying to find gigs. Word had spread about our band, namely from people who had heard our practices in the music building, so it wasn't difficult to find work.

Playing with Garrett and the guys were some of the best times of my life, second to the times I had spent with Bella. After a few months, our band had become quite popular. Not just on campus but across Seattle. Finding a niche in the music scene of post-grunge Seattle was very important. About that time, I started dating a girl named Amy from Seattle University. She kept showing up at our gigs and approached me one night when we were loading Garrett's truck with our equipment. Amy was this incredibly opinionated, liberal girl who shook my foundations to the core only after a few conversations. We started dating shortly after that. It was an intense, fiery relationship. I had dated in high school like any other guy, but she was a horse of a different color from the girls I knew in the small town of Forks.

It was right when the band was hitting its stride that I got bit by the acting bug at UW. After a few plays and a musical, I got offered a spot in a local commercial. I jumped at the opportunity for my first paying acting job. After that, more paying jobs started coming my way. I was introduced to Marcus who really liked my music and my acting. He said he saw real promise with my talents, and I hired him as my manager. Acting started to distract me from the band, much to Garrett and the boys' dismay. I tried to find a balance between the two, but it was difficult and created strife within the band. My main source of support for acting was from Amy and Marcus. Amy encouraged me to pursue my dreams, wherever they led. Marcus agreed, adding that my talent was being wasted in Seattle. My relationship with Amy eventually burned itself about the time the band was on its last legs. I wanted to move on to bigger and better things out in Hollywood, but Garrett and the rest of the guys wanted to remain in Seattle. Amy and I both seemed to realize that our relationship had run its course. It was fun, but we had different goals in life that just weren't going to mesh in the long run. We had chemistry, but our relationship just wasn't it. Definitely not the _it _I felt in my relationship with Bella. So, it was time for both of us to move on. It was the most amicable break up ever. I ended up dropping out of college in the middle of my sophomore year to venture out to Hollywood with Marcus. Amy continued on at SU, preparing to take on the world.

I was shaken out of my reverie by the sound of a truck pulling up the driveway. Glancing on the clock, I realized that it was the security system installers. I rose quickly from the sofa and greeted them at the door, allowing them to start working on Bella's security system. After the installers got to work, I hopped on Bella's computer to do some searching for equipment and to send Garrett the information he needed. There were a few music stores in the area that may have been able to help me. I hoped some of them had the quality of equipment I was looking to use. Some of these smaller mom and pop stores normally only carried amateur or intermediate quality stuff, which made sense for this area. Why would a small store want to invest in expensive professional grade equipment that didn't move quickly?

A few hours later, I was practically pulling my hair out in frustration. No one in the area had the equipment I needed. Even if I were to purchase it online, it wouldn't arrive on time. There was a large music store about forty minutes from Bella's that was my last resort. It had a small amount of the type of equipment that I wanted. However, I wasn't very optimistic, because it was a franchised chain of stores. I had found in my experience that it was harder to make deals with a corporation. I would probably have to use my name this time to get anything done.

I impatiently waited for the installers to finish. To keep myself occupied, I worked out some chord progressions on a few more songs. My nervousness was showing in the music as the notes and tempo I wrote became increasingly more frantic. _Hmm, this may actually sound good._ I played through the licks a few more times, adjusting a few notes. _Even better._ Just as I was finishing, the installers came in the room and said they were done. Once they had shown me the basics of the system, I was rushing them out the door with me fast on their heels.

As I drove, I called Alice to catch up a little before she left for Seattle. She was very happy that Bella and I had worked things out and was ecstatic that Bella was coming home for Christmas. Before I could stop her, she had an itinerary all planned out for the two of them.

"Whoa there, Alice," I said, chuckling.

"What?"

"We aren't going to be in Washington the entire time. Plus, I'm sure the rest of the family will want to spend some time with her, not to mention her boyfriend," I said wryly.

"But-" I swore I heard Alice pouting.

"But, we will be in Seattle for New Years, if you want to put something together. You know, something with you and Jasper, me and Bella, and Emmett and Rosalie."

"Oh my God, that's perfect, Edward!" she squealed. "All the Cullen kids together for the first time in years with their spouses for New Years! I have so many ideas already!"

"Except Bella isn't my wife, Alice," I pointed out.

Alice giggled. "Yet. She's not your wife yet. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it at all."

I couldn't lie to my sister, but I wasn't ready to admit to those thoughts yet. It was way too soon. I quickly changed the subject before she could corner me into admitting anything.

"Anyway, Alice, what time is your flight?"

"Nice avoidance there, Ed-weird-o. My flight leaves at 11pm tonight. Nothing like red-eye flights."

_Oh, she did not just go there._ "Okay Ali-bear-"

Alice screeched in my ear so loudly I think my eardrums from a year ago heard her. "Do NOT call me Ali-bear, Edward!"

Ah yes, the hated childhood nicknames. I was a dork when I was a kid, hence Alice's nickname for me. I thought the name I came up with for her was cute. It was fun when we were children and it was even more amusing now. Alice hated hers. I could tolerate mine. By this time in my life, I had heard just about every version of Edward possible, like Jerkward, Assward, Dorkward, Shitward, Prickward, so her taunt really didn't bother me.

"Aww, does that bother you, Ali-" I teased.

"EDWARD ANTHONY MASEN CULLEN!" she screeched even louder. I definitely thought I was going to have some hearing loss after that. I started laughing as she continued to spew a diatribe at me, calling into question my bathing habits, intelligence, and overall human decency several different ways. She stopped only when she had to gasp for breath loudly.

"You done, sis?"

"You're an asshole, Edward," she muttered.

"Love you too, Alice."

She sighed, "Yeah, yeah, love you too, Edtard."

"Ooooo, that's a new one," I teased.

Alice huffed and didn't say anything else. I started laughing again, hard enough that tears formed in my eyes. When I caught my breath, Alice spoke again.

"I am really happy for your, Edward. Bella is good for you. She is very beautiful but very smart."

"She is and I'm incredibly lucky," I replied softly.

"I'm just glad that my brother is back," Alice whispered. If I wasn't listening so closely, I would not have heard her.

"Aww, Ali, I've always been here."

"No, you haven't. You were lost, but Bella found you," she insisted gently.

I sighed, knowing Alice was right.

"You're a good sister, Alice. Text me when you land so I know you got there okay."

"Okay, Edward. Have a good night."

"You too, Alice."

Shortly after we hung up, I pulled into the mostly full parking lot of Guitar Center. After I slipped on my Mariner's cap, I strolled into the store and prepared for battle.

The store was incredibly noisy and large. Several high school-aged guys were jamming on guitars around the various displays. Just about every kind of guitar was on display. I saw a sign directing people to the acoustic guitars available. Apparently this store kept their acoustics in a special humidity controlled room. There were other instruments in the store as well. There was a fairly respectable display of drums sets and keyboards as well. A few people were testing out the drum sets too. The energy from everyone jamming and just having fun was amazing. Employees who seemed to actually like their jobs bounced back and forth between customers to answer questions and to keep an eye on anyone testing an instrument to make sure they were not damaged.

A guy who looked slightly older than me approached me as I walked in. He had a name tag on his shirt that stated his name was Cory and that he was the store manager. _Perfect._

"Hi, welcome to _Guitar Center_. Anything I can help you with?" he asked politely.

I studied him for a moment to see how best to approach him with my situation. The manager was almost as tall as I was, but had a larger build. He had a welcoming smile and friendly disposition that was perfect for a salesman.

"Well, Cory, right?" The manager nodded. "I'm in a bit of a jam, and I'm hoping you can help me."

Cory smiled and gestured for me to lead the way further into the store. "I'm sure we can, mister….?"

"Edward, call me Edward." I held out my hand and we shook briefly.

"Okay, I'm sure we can help you, Edward. I'm assuming that if you are here, you need a guitar at the very least."

"Yes, definitely a guitar, but I also need some microphones, a mixing board, amplifiers, speakers, a distortion pedal, and all the cords necessary," I said, ticking each item off on my fingers.

Cory's jaw dropped after I finished my list. Before he could comment, I continued. "Here's the thing, I only need them for one night, this Friday after Thanksgiving. I have my own equipment but it's not here with me."

"Well, Edward, we sell products here, we don't rent them," Cory said slowly. I could sense by the hesitation in his voice that he wanted to help, but he was constrained by the rules of the store and corporation. I rubbed my hands over my face as I tried to come up with a solution that would work for both of us.

"I understand, Cory," I replied diplomatically. "You have bosses to answer to and rules to follow. But, I really don't need to buy anything, which is why I'm hoping we can make a deal."

Cory looked puzzled, his thick eyebrows furrowing together. "I'm not sure what I can do for you, Edward."

I pasted on my most dazzling smile as I turned on the Cullen charm. "Well, I happened to notice when I walked in that you have some autographed guitars on display to sell. If you are able to approve the use of the equipment I need, I'll autograph the guitar I use and whatever else you'd like."

Cory looked very surprised and uncomfortable as he scratched the short, dark brown curls on his head. He fidgeted a few moments as he tried to frame a response. "Edward, please don't take this the wrong way, but those guitars were signed by famous guitarists. Unless I don't recognize you, you aren't famous so your autograph wouldn't bring any extra money in." It was very obvious that he was trying to be as inoffensive as possible while still being honest.

I chuckled at his awkwardness. My disguise was better than I expected. Who would have thought that a plain old ball cap would be all the camouflage I would need? "I can appreciate that, Cory. Whose autograph would you want?"

Cory thought a moment, his long fingers stroking the dark stubble of his chin. "Hmm, probably Slash or Matthew Bellamy or even Edward Cullen."

"Really? Edward Cullen?" _Well, that is surprising, but good at the same time._

Cory nodded. "Yeah, he tends to use acoustic guitars more often than electric, but he's a great guitarist and he plays a sweet ass custom Gibson. An autograph of his on any Gibson would be sweet. A lot of us here are fans of his. We were pissed when he was dropped from his label earlier this year."

I had to fight to keep a straight face and not give myself away. It felt pretty awesome to hear someone say something like that about me, especially when he didn't know who I was. It was honest and wasn't full of bullshit or ass-kissing, just the truth.

"Do you have any Gibson's similar to his here?" I asked. I thought I saw a base model of my custom, but I wasn't positive until I got closer to the displays.

"A few," Cory said as he turned to look at the racks of guitars. We walked over to a particular section of wall and pulled off a cherry red Gibson with mother-of-pearl inlays and frets. It was a beautiful guitar. "Since his is a custom job, this isn't exactly the same but it is similar to the base model."

"May I?" I asked, holding my hand out for the guitar.

"Sure." Cory looked curious as he handed me the guitar and plugged me in to the nearest amp.

I pulled a pick out from my back pocket and adjusted the strap of the guitar across my shoulder. Taking a deep breath, I gently strummed the guitar and exhaled as the basic C chord thrummed from the amp at my feet. Cory took a step back and gave me some space to play. I played through some random riffs and chords to warm up my hands and get a feel for the guitar. This guitar may have been very similar to mine, but each guitar feels different and sounds different and reacts differently. As I played, the noise of the store began to fade away. My fingers brought to life one of my older songs and I became immersed in the music. This was why I loved music so much. Everything else faded away, leaving just me. I just was. I wasn't Edward Cullen the musician. I wasn't Carlisle and Esme's son. I wasn't Alice or Emmett's brother. I wasn't Bella's boyfriend. I just was. I _was_ the music. The music was me.

The last strains of the guitar faded away and I opened my eyes. I realized after the fact that I had also been singing softly. Cory stood completely shocked, his face pale. A few other people, mostly teenagers, had gathered around us while I played.

"Mr-Mr. Cullen," Cory stuttered. "I had no idea it was you. We can definitely work something out."

"Edward, please." I smiled warmly at him to try to put him at ease. "It's perfectly okay, Cory. You didn't do anything wrong. I didn't exactly announce who I was when I walked in."

Cory smiled shyly at me, still clearly embarrassed. "Thank you, Edward. Let me call the general manager to let him know what is going on and we'll be able to get you all set up."

"Great, thank you."

Cory went back to the front of the store to make the necessary calls and I continued to play. A few of the teens who had gathered around us took pictures of me with their cell phone cameras. One blond-haired kid plugged into a nearby amp and looked up tentatively for permission to jam with me. I nodded with an encouraging smile. The kid's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

We started to play, nothing in particular, just whatever song came to my mind. I signaled him when I was changing keys so he could follow. The kid liked to shred and would fill the background with incredible riffs. While shredding could hide a lot of technical flaws, this kid seemed to have all the basic techniques down. He had the potential to be a really great guitarist.

We were just finishing a song when Cory returned with a few forms in his hand. Everyone around us clapped, and the kid I was playing with looked like he was on cloud nine. His blue eyes were bright and his face was flushed with excitement. His hands even shook when he unplugged his guitar from the amp.

"You're pretty good, kid," I complemented.

The teen beamed at me, then blushed and stared at his feet nervously. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen," he whispered.

I held out my hand to him. "It's Edward, and you're welcome. It was a lot of fun to jam with you like that. I haven't done that in a long time."

The kid wiped his hand on his jeans before shaking my offered hand. "I'm Mark. It was an honor to play with you, Edward. Thank you," he said in an awed voice.

I smiled at him again, "No problem, Mark. Like I said, it was a lot of fun for me. You've got a lot of great potential; don't ever stop playing."

Mark bobbed his head before quickly shuffling away towards his friends who were chattering up a storm in excitement.

"I think you just made his day," Cory commented as I unplugged the Gibson and popped it against an amp.

"It seems that way. He's a good kid, plays really good too."

Playing with Mark took me back to when I was that age, playing my heart out with stars in my eyes.

"Well, here are the forms we need filled out. Just itemize everything you need, and the particulars of where and when you need it delivered, and when it will be returned. Also, please notate what items you want to autograph and when that will be done. Once everything is written up, I'll fax it into corporate and you'll be all set."

"Great! I have one more favorite to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"Can you keep my visit here and the delivery under wraps?"

Cory looked at me perplexed so I explained further. "I can travel under the media radar here. I'd like to enjoy that as long as I can." I flashed Cory my most friendly, dazzling smile.

If Cory wasn't charmed yet, he was now. "Oh, of course. I understand. That will not be a problem."

I strolled through the store writing down what I wanted on the forms Cory gave me. My thoughts kept going back to Mark and the excitement and fervor he played with. He played with a natural talent and it was infectious. I had new melodies straining through my head now, songs that were youthful and vivacious, taking on the spirit of my new young friend. I couldn't wait to get home and start writing them down. I quickly finished my list and brought it over to Cory at the front of the store. By the time I had finished, most of the crowd had disbursed with only the occasional person looking at me inquisitively.

After a quick goodbye to Cory, I headed home deep in thought about the new songs in my head, the concert, and Thanksgiving. I was worried about how Bella was going to handle the media now that they were on to her. She said that she'd deal with it when it happened, but I still had my concerns.

Once back at home, I scrounged the kitchen for a snack before I started writing down the new melody that formed in my head at the store. I was really excited about how this song was going to turn out. It was so bright and energetic, a nice change from my typical bluesy folkish sound. If I ever got a record deal again, I would love to put it on an album and see what my fans thought of it. _Maybe after I'm done with the movie I can see if Marcus can get me a decent record deal._

The rest of the evening passed quietly and pleasantly. I called my parents and talked to them a bit to get them caught up on how things were going in my life. They were disappointed that I wasn't coming home for Thanksgiving but were glad I was coming home for Christmas and bringing Bella. They had heard enough from me over the past several months and after Alice met her on Sunday, she filled Esme's ears with more about my Bella. Esme was quite thrilled that her oldest boy had finally found a nice girl, and she couldn't wait to meet Bella.

Bella came home late in the evening after the bar closed. It was like how things were back when I was first here in the summer. There was something awesome about knowing that Bella was coming home to me. I could definitely get used to it. I wondered if she had a similar feeling about coming home, knowing I was here waiting for her. After showing her the security system, we made dinner together quietly, working in harmony in the kitchen. It was incredible to just spend time together like this, so easy and comfortable.

The next day went much the same. I stayed at home while the fence was installed and Bella went off to work. Once again, it was like _Leave It to Beaver_ but backwards. I was the househusband tending the house while June was off making the bacon.

I shook myself from my odd thoughts as I continued to practice for the concert. Garrett had emailed me back with good news that the group of guys he played with would be able to join him on Friday, and they would be able to bring their own gear. With the gear I was borrowing from Guitar Center, we would be in good shape for the concert. He also said that they would leave early in the morning and would make it to Vermilion in the afternoon. That would give us a few hours to practice and get the mixing board programmed before the concert. Finding a room to practice was a little more interesting. I thought that Bella's living room had enough room if we moved her furniture around.

I got to enjoy another night of sleeping next to my girl. I cherished every one of them knowing I would be leaving again soon. I longed for the day when we were in the right position to not have to part for long periods of time anymore. But I still didn't know how I was going to accomplish that yet.

The next morning, waking up alone was just criminal. I was half tempted to make a citizen's arrest for such behavior. Then my mind went right into the gutter with thoughts of arresting Bella and slapping handcuffs on her, and possibly to her bed, and having my way with her with my _nightstick_. "Argh, this woman has made me such a perv!" I said to myself as I shuffled out of bed and tried to calm my body down.

Matters weren't helped when I spied Bella in the kitchen in a thin t-shirt and shorts and no bra. I watched her move smoothly from side to side in her kitchen as she cut up apples and put them in a bowl. The house was already starting to smell delicious. My body couldn't decide what it was most hungry for at that moment. After being discovered and exchanging some light teasing, Bella put me to task on the potatoes.

I hadn't cooked this much since I was a kid. I cooked often enough in my apartment and when I was here with Bella, but most of those meals were done within a half hour. I was in the kitchen with Bella for hours, but I was definitely not complaining. I had happy memories like this with my mom growing up. We kids were expected to help Esme prepare the holiday dinners for the family. She felt it made us appreciate all the work that went into creating a meal, especially the way she would make a holiday dinner. When I was a kid, I didn't always appreciate it, but once I was on my own, I enjoyed knowing how to cook and not being solely reliant on take out and ramen noodles.

While we were working, Bella would occasionally brush up against me with an arm or even the side of her breast. Each time, I'd have to think about baseball or Margaret Thatcher naked just to calm down. As soon as Bella mentioned she was going into the shower, I couldn't resist her any longer. Her breasts were calling to me. I suspected that she wasn't wearing a bra and I longed to find out for certain. She took a little convincing, but I knew what her ears did to her and I took full advantage of her weakness.

Later, as we approached her father's home, I almost –almost—regretted thinking with my other brain. My hair was a mess, like I'd just had sex. Normally this wasn't a bad thing, but not such a good thing when the crazy hair was caused by the daughter of the man I was about to visit. A man I hoped wouldn't kill me for lying to him about who I was. I tried not to panic. Bella teasing me wasn't helping.

Knowing the paparazzi were out and about, I kept my eye out for any cars that were following us. The last thing I wanted was for Bella to feel that she couldn't even spend time with her father without the paparazzi breathing down her neck. I thought we were going to luck out, but as I drove through the center of town, I recognized a few people standing by rental cars. Those people were individuals that I had paparazzi run-ins with back in LA. If they saw me, they would try to follow me.. A few of them pulled out after we passed. I sighed and tried not to alert Bella to the development. I would make sure she enjoyed her Thanksgiving with her family without worrying about the damn media.

As soon as we pulled into Chief Swan's driveway, my nerves ratcheted up again. I just about flew out of the car and started to unload the food for dinner. I think Bella and I made enough to feed a small army or maybe just Emmett if he were here. Her father already had the front door open as we walked up the front step. I noticed a few of the cars that followed us pass the house. It would not surprise me if pictures of us ended up online within a few hours. I looked over at Bella, and it did not appear that she noticed the paparazzi.

After we unloaded all of our food, Charlie wrapped Bella in a big hug. From what Bella told me about Charlie, this was not like him. She only confirmed that when she called him out on the unusual hug. He smiled sheepishly. I had a feeling his new girlfriend had something to do with his new affectionate nature. Bella clearly loved the more affectionate side of her father. I really hoped that he'd understand why I used my middle name when we were first introduced, and wouldn't think that I was out to take advantage of Bella.

My stomach dropped to my feet when Charlie turned to me and addressed me by my middle name. I had to set this right and now. Charlie encouraged me a little by allowing me to call him by his given name. I looked over at Bella briefly; I wanted to make sure she was ready for me to tell Charlie who I was as I ran a hand through my hair. She nodded and immediately started talking.

"Er, Dad, I wanted to tell you something," she said tentatively, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it encouragingly. Charlie looked back and forth between us confused.

I needed to be the one to take care of this; it was my issue after all. I cleared my throat and squeezed Bella's hand before speaking. "Bella, let me," I said. "Charlie, I have a confession to make." Charlie's face started turning red. This did not bode well for me.

"Jesus, Bella, you aren't pregnant are you?" Charlie interrupted, his face going from red to purple.

My jaw hit the floor. Bella quickly relieved Charlie of that notion, much to his and my relief. He looked at me for a long, hard moment before finally relaxing and his face returning to a normal, healthy color. After a nod from him, I continued with my explanation.

"Charlie, when we first met, I introduced myself as Anthony Masen. That's actually my middle name. I'm most commonly known as Edward Cullen. My full name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen." I held my breath as I waited for Charlie's response.

He stared at me with a penetrating expression that made me want to squirm, but I knew that would just make me look dishonorable and weak. I held his gaze and hoped with each passing second that I would pass this test of Charlie's. He asked why I lied about who I was and I explained that it was to protect myself from the media. It was apparent that he did not immediately recognize me because he didn't understand why I would need protection from the media.

Something must have clicked in Charlie's brain because his eyes suddenly widened and he let out a chuckle. "No wonder you looked so familiar. Sue and I just watched _Eclipse_ last night."

I bowed my head slightly and released the breath I had been holding. I knew people watched my movies, otherwise I wouldn't be marketable as an actor, but it just seemed weird to find out that someone I actually knew had watched one of my movies. Shyly, I smiled at Charlie. "I hope you enjoyed it."

"Eh, it was okay," Charlie said gruffly. From an average person, this would tell me that they thought the movie sucked. However, from what Bella had told me about Charlie, this was actually quite a compliment.

"Thank you," I replied simply. I was thrilled that he liked it.

I was amazed that Charlie was taking this so well. As soon as I knew I was going to come clean to Charlie, I was expecting all kinds of crazy questions about my occupation, evil looks about where I was staying –if he even knew-, just anything except this calm acceptance. I wasn't sure if I should be scared or relieved. Bella seemed to be relieved so I was going to follow her lead.

Charlie hurried out of the room when the front door opened. I couldn't believe my good fortune that Charlie seemed to be accepting of who I really was. Quickly, I pulled Bella towards me in a brief hug before releasing her as Charlie's guests walked in the room. A smile the size of which I had never seen grace Charlie's face was plastered there for all to see as he walked in with a slightly familiar, attractive, dark-haired woman. She seemed to be just as happy as Charlie.

The fact that she seemed familiar puzzled me, until I saw who was behind her. A slightly shorter, younger, and much more familiar version of the woman entered the room with her gaze locked on the cell phone in her hand. She looked up at us and froze briefly, doing a double take, then came charging over to me with a huge smile on her face.

_What the hell is Seth's cousin doing here?_

"Edward? Edward Cullen?" Leah asked as she hugged me. I was too startled to respond and stood stiffly in her friendly embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"L-Leah?" I squeaked. I couldn't have possibly been more surprised in that moment at seeing her here. If I remembered correctly from when I last saw her, she told me she lived out east. _Well, Ohio is east alright._ Belatedly, I hugged her back and tried to look at Bella out of the corner of my eye, judging her reaction. Everyone was surprised that we knew each other.

"Yeah, it's been awhile hasn't it?" I mumbled. Finally, she let go of me and I pulled Bella a little closer to me. I wanted to make it clear that I was not available.

Leah surprised me again by turning to address Bella directly. "I'm sorry, I just haven't seen Edward in over a year, and I certainly didn't expect to see him in Ohio!"

The situation was incredibly awkward, at least for me. Charlie seemed to enjoy my misery, but he at least introduced me as Bella's boyfriend. _At least, I am at the moment._ I didn't think Bella would have an issue with the history I had with Leah, but still, I didn't want to assume.

We all talked briefly for a little while, light chit-chat. Sue and Bella seemed to get along very well, which made Charlie happy. His smile couldn't be wiped off for anything. Then the conversation turned to me and how I knew Leah. Thankfully, how I knew her was innocent enough. Sue was thrilled that I was close friends with her nephew, and she even liked my movie too. Bella was still shooting me the occasional questioning glance and I knew I'd have to tell her the whole story tonight. Thankfully, she didn't look pissed.

We eventually made our way to the dining room while Bella started to plate the dishes and bring them out to the table. Charlie sat at the head of the table with Sue to his right and Leah next to Sue. I took the empty spot next to Charlie's left. Charlie and Sue were talking softly to each other and Leah had her face buried in her phone again, fingers rapidly moving on the keyboard. After sending her text, Leah shut her phone and looked over at me curiously. Her large, brown-almost black eyes, appraised me in a friendly manner.

"I never expected to see you in Ohio, Edward."

I chuckled lightly. "Believe me, the sentiment is quite mutual."

Leah smiled and looked down at her phone as it buzzed. She blushed as she flipped it open and read the message before she turned even redder and quickly tapped out a response.

"Who's the guy, Leah?" I teased.

"Um, a guy I'm seeing down at school. We have plans this weekend once I go back."

"That's great, Leah." I said with a warm smile, genuinely happy for her. I had to admit, a part of me was relieved that she was seeing someone. Now I wouldn't have to worry about her trying to see if I was up for some old times. By this time, Sue and Charlie had finished up their conversation and Sue teased Leah about the mystery boyfriend who Leah hadn't managed to bring home to meet her yet. Leah rolled her eyes and we all laughed.

Bella came in with her hands laden with dishes. I felt bad just sitting there while she worked, especially since I helped make the food, but she'd made it clear before that she didn't want any help. _Stubborn woman._ Charlie caught me staring at Bella and gave me a hard look.

"I don't have to remind you I carry a gun, do I Edward?" he groused.

My head snapped to my left and I stared at Charlie, startled. "Uh, no. No, sir," I replied in a tight voice.

Charlie's moustache started twitching as he held my gaze. I became further concerned when his face started to turn red. I was about to ask him if he was okay when he burst out laughing.

"Oh, Edward, the look on your face was priceless!" he chortled as he slapped the table with enthusiasm. Sue and Leah snickered as I wiped the shock off my face and picked my jaw up from my lap.

_I just got punked by Bella's father._

Their laughter was infectious and shortly I was laughing right along with them. Bella came in a few minutes later with the last of the dishes. I got up quickly and pulled her chair out for her. As I sat back down, Charlie gave a barely perceptible nod at my courtesy. He approved. Bella leaned over and thanked me and I kissed the side of her head. I was a little unsure about showing her much affection in front of her father, but I decided to take a chance. Charlie didn't seem to be concerned. I mentally gave myself a fist pump.

Charlie got the dinner started with a very short but nice toast. He definitely didn't seem like the type to be gregarious. For a moment, Bella looked like she was actually going to cry.

Finally, before my stomach decided to let everyone know how empty it was, the food was passed around the table. Bella's turkey looked so delicious. She told me she had a secret recipe of seasoning and spices to rub on the skin and I couldn't wait to try it. As the mashed potatoes made their way around the table, I couldn't help but be a little proud at how light and fluffy they looked. _Years of Esme teaching me how to cook paid off well._ By the time all the platters had gone by, my plate was packed with all kinds of goodies: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with a little bit of gravy, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry relish. There was even a tray of deviled eggs and rolls on the table too. Right as I was getting ready to dig into it, I saw Charlie extend his hand to me. I shot Bella a confused look and she whispered that it was tradition to say what we were thankful for prior to eating. Sadly, I put my fork with its delectable bite on it back on my plate and took Charlie's hand.

Charlie's normally gruff, confident demeanor changed slightly. He actually looked shy. After clearing his throat, he said what he was thankful for this year. As he was finishing, he looked at Sue and held her gaze as the realization of his declaration sunk in. Her face broke into a huge grin and she told Charlie that she loved him too. Both Charlie and Sue were blushing but they looked so incredibly happy. Leah complained about the mushiness which caused Charlie to make a snarky comment in return. All it did was give us kids a visual of Sue and Charlie that none of us really wanted. Bella joined into the fray and voiced her displeasure on hearing about her father's sex life.

That reminded me of the many times over the years that I had accidentally walked in on Esme and Carlisle in the throws of passion. It was bad enough to hear them joke about it, which they would from time to time. It was worse to actually _see_ them doing some of the things they joked about. I mean really, who would think a mother close to fifty years old would still be that flexible? Apparently mine was. No wonder my parents looked so young.

I was saved from thinking about my parents active and healthy sex life by Leah as she finished stating what she was thankful for this year. I hadn't realized that my attention had wandered for that long. Thankfully, I was just in time to hear Bella. If I wasn't paying attention to what she was thankful for, I'd probably be sleeping on the couch the rest of the week. She looked over at me nervously and I squeezed her hand. Whatever she would have to say would be fine.

Bella took a deep breath and spoke softly. "Um, I'm thankful for my family, friends, and the Midnight Sun. I'm thankful for Edward, for his love and trust. My life changed irrefutably the day he walked into my bar. I'm thankful for the future and for great things to come."

As she finished, she gazed at me and I was struck dumb. I couldn't breath. I could only stare into her deep, brown soulful eyes as I held her hand. It meant a great deal to me that she mentioned trust considering it was such a focal point of our very recently resolved problems. I was so hopeful that we really did have a future. We would need that trust when we were away from each other again. I loved this woman so much, and I wasn't ashamed to show it. Charlie must have had enough because he cleared his throat after we got a little too caught up in each other's gaze.

Embarrassed, I blushed and stammered, "Um, yeah, right. Sorry about that." A quick glance at Bella confirmed that she was just as red in the face as I was. We were quite the pair.

Gathering my thoughts, I spoke softly but earnestly. "So anyway, um, I'm thankful for my family, great friends." Leah glanced at me with a soft smile as I spoke. "For Bella, without her I don't know where I'd be right now, for her love and understanding, for being herself, for seeing me as I am, for everything that she is."

When I stopped speaking, no one said a word. I held onto Bella's hand as everyone else released one another's hands. Charlie and Sue were both looking at me strangely and it was a little unnerving. I didn't think I'd said anything bad. The look on Leah's face was encouraging. Bella looked a little shocked but very happy. I was thrilled that I put that look on her face.

Finally, Charlie couldn't take all the touchy-feeliness anymore and broke the mood with his gruff voice. "Okay, enough sappiness. The food is getting cold. Let's eat!"

I returned my attention to my very full and very tasty looking plate. Enthusiastically, I grabbed my fork and dug in. The food was absolutely delicious. So many of these things were standard Thanksgiving staples, but Bella's recipes transformed these typical items into gourmet dishes. The stuffing had some extra ingredient that I wasn't used to that really made it pop. I was in gastronomic heaven. I noticed that I wasn't the only one enjoying the food. Hardly anyone was speaking since they were too busy eating. It reminded me of holiday dinners at home. Esme and Carlisle knew how to pace themselves. All of the kids, especially Emmett, ate more than talked.

As plates started to clear, speech returned to the table. Charlie and Sue complimented Bella several times. Leah's phone buzzed several times throughout the meal as she texted her guy. I personally thought it was rude to do that while we were eating, but she was an adult and most definitely was not my child. I sat back and groaned after eating a second helping of the turkey and mashed potatoes.

"Jesus, Bella," I moaned, "you are way too good of a cook. I'm going to gain way too much weight if I eat too many more of your meals."

Bella blushed and laughed lightly. "You seemed to do well enough when you were here this summer."

"True, but I was also working on the house. It's a little harder to do work like that in the winter, although there are a few indoor projects still to do."

Bella laughed again and took a sip of her water.

"I didn't realize that you were the one working on Bella's house, Edward," Charlie commented.

"Uh, yeah. I was in Ohio for a month taking a bit of a sabbatical from Hollywood and Bella had been so nice to me when I came into town that I offered to work on the house."

Charlie nodded, clearly impressed. "I've seen the improvements you've made to the house. Very nice work. Where does an actor learn construction and home improvement?"

"My mom is an architect who deals a lot in historical preservation. My brother and I used to help out on the job sites. I'm no carpenter, but I can hold my own on most projects."

"What does your father do, Edward?" Sue asked politely.

"He's a doctor at Forks Hospital in Washington."

"Do you have just the one brother?" Charlie asked.

Bella shot her father a dirty look. "Dad, this is not 'Ask Edward Twenty Questions' night!"

Charlie's moustache twitched with a smile and I laughed. "It's okay, Bella. Charlie hasn't really had a good chance to get to know me, the real me, yet. I'd be happy to tell him a little about myself so he knows what kind of character his daughter is associating with."

"Besides saving her from a drunken asshole who attacked her at her bar and working on her house, you mean?" Charlie teased. I got the distinct feeling he liked me already.

"Whatever, Dad," Bella said with a huff.

"Anyway," I continued while picking apart a roll, "I was born in Chicago, but my parents moved out to Washington when I was very small. I'm the oldest of three. My brother, Emmett, plays for the Seattle Mariners-"

"Really?" Charlie asked, suddenly quite interested.

"Yep. My schedule makes it hard to get home to see him play, but I make a point of catching a couple of his games every year."

Charlie's face turned speculative. "I wonder if the Indians will play the Mariners next year. No matter for now. Tell me more about your family."

"Anyway, Emmett plays for the Mariners and loves it. He just got married last year and is still enjoying the novelty. My sister-in-law, Rosalie, loves being a player's wife." I couldn't help but roll my eyes before continuing. "Alice is my baby sister. She is a party planner in Seattle and has quite the thriving business. Next summer she is going to marry my best friends, Jasper. He and I went to college together."

"Where did you go to college?"

"University of Washington, but I never finished. I dropped out during my sophomore year to pursue my music and acting. I'd still like to go back and finish sometime."

"That sounds real nice, Edward. It sounds like you have a really great family," Sue complimented. I liked her already.

I nodded, smiling hugely. I was incredibly lucky with my family. "Yes, they are the best. I've been blessed."

Silverware was finally striking bare plates as we finished our meals. My stomach groaned with how full it was. It had been some time before I had packed away that much food. I hoped I could still manage dessert. There was no way I was turning away homemade apple pie.

"Everyone ready for pie?" Bella asked as she started to get up.

I wanted to be helpful so I got up as well and helped clear plates from the table. Bella smiled and walked into the kitchen to start serving up the pies. I deposited my load of plates and silverware in the sink and quickly rinsed them off.

"Dinner was absolutely delicious, love," I murmured as I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her. Bella hummed with pleasure and leaned into my chest as she put the knife down on the counter.

"Thank you, Edward. Charlie seems to really like you."

"I hope so. Sue is really nice. Your father has been smiling a lot tonight," I observed, releasing her from my grasp and lightly running my hands up and down her sides. I buried my nose into the back of her neck and wrapped the scent of her hair around me.

"That he has, more than I've seen in a very long time," she agreed, shivering slightly from my caresses.

"Almost done?" I asked softly, as I brushed her hair away from her neck so I could kiss it.

"Yes," Bella breathed. She turned in my arms and placed her hands on my chest. Her thumbs stroked my chest slowly as she looked at me. Her eyes were dark with desire and I could feel my body responding to her. I gently cupped her face in my hands and brushed my lips across hers.

"I love you, sweet Bella," I whispered.

"Love you too, Edward, so much." Bella wasn't happy with the chaste kiss I gave and pulled my head down to kiss me soundly. This definitely would not be helping any condition my body was in. At this rate, I'd have to find an excuse to run off to the bathroom to calm down before returning to the dining room table. Gently, I pushed Bella away a little so I could try to keep my body from getting too excited.

"Bella, I gotta stop. I'm going to embarrass myself if I have to walk back into the dining room with a raging hard on."

Bella giggled and took a step back. "Poor baby. Little Eddie has a mind of his own doesn't he?"

I bit back a retort about 'Little Eddie' and just smiled at her. As I turned to start gathering plates laden with slices of pie, Bella asked the one question I knew had been on her mind most of the evening.

"Edward, you seem very friendly with Leah," she commented idly.

I set the plates that I had in my hand down. "I've known her for several years. I met her through Seth and we've hung out a few times."

She looked away, embarrassed. "I know it's not an issue now, and it's more curiosity now that anything, but how _friendly_ were you with her?"

I couldn't help but laugh a little. "It's okay, Bella. I'd want to know if I was in your position too. Leah and I have always just been friends. There was one night that we both were lonely and ended up having sex, but that's all it was. It was shortly after I had broken up with Tanya and she had just gotten out of a relationship too. She left to go back to school shortly after that. I've seen her several times since then, but we never went that far again. I'm just glad I haven't lost her friendship over it. Thank god Seth doesn't know either. I think he'd be pissed."

"Why?"

"He's kinda protective over her. He may not be upset over it, I'm not sure. I'd rather not find out. They don't have any other cousins so they are like brother and sister a lot of times. Sleeping with her was almost like breaking the guy code of messing around with a friend's sister."

"Oh, okay," Bella said. "Thank you for telling me."

I leaned down and kissed her again. "Of course, love. Whatever you want to know about me, all you have to do is ask. Honesty, remember?"

"I remember," she said with a large smile.

"Hey guys, what are you doing in there?" Charlie hollered from the dining room.

"Nothing, Dad! We're coming right now with the pie!" Bella yelled back, shooting me a sheepish look.

I laughed again as we gathered up the pie plates and walked into the dining room.

-OxOxO-

Moans and groans were heard across the table by everyone as forks came to rest on empty dessert plates.

"Oh, I should not have eaten that second slice of pie," Leah muttered as she rubbed her stomach.

I laughed then groaned as the movement made my equally overstuffed stomach complain. Bella squeezed my hand sympathetically as she rose to gather our dishes. Charlie looked like he was asleep as he rested his head on the back of his chair. The only reason I suspected he wasn't was because Sue was talking animatedly to him.

I got up to help Bella clean up. She was just starting to load the dishwasher when I brought in the last of the dishes. After depositing the dishes in the sink, I ran my hands across her shoulders and rubbed them gently.

"Mmmm, that feels good, baby," she moaned. Hearing her moan did things to my body. I leaned into her, pushing my pelvis into her backside. "So does that," she added huskily.

I didn't say a word; I just merely smiled and kept massaging her shoulders. Bella turned to face me so I dropped my hands to her hips and gave her a quick peck on the lips. She shook her head and pulled my head down to kiss me more thoroughly. I could still taste apple on her lips from the slice of pie she ate. It was heavenly. Bella was really tempting my restraint as she pushed her body into mine. I could feel every inch of her. There was no doubt she could feel my very prominent erection poking her stomach. I continued to kiss her and touch her for a few minutes longer before I really truly had to stop. I didn't want to be sporting a huge hard-on in front of her father, nor did I want to ravish her right on the kitchen counter. Okay, well I really did, but not when we could get caught. Slowly, painfully, I pulled away from her.

"What can I help you with in here?" I asked softly.

Bella looked down at me and smirked. "Are you sure I shouldn't be the one asking if _you_ need help with anything?"

I rolled my eyes. Bella was becoming more comfortable with innuendo as she got comfortable with our relationship. I liked it.

She looked around the kitchen surveying the mess before us. "Um, you can probably just start packing up the leftovers. There are containers in the cabinet by the microwave."

I started to turn to get the containers when Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and refused to let me go. "The food can wait just a few more minutes," she said softly with a sly smile.

I grinned and pulled Bella closer to me. "Then what shall we do?" I asked, nuzzling her neck.

"This is good," she whispered, her breath ghosting past my ear, making me shiver. "Just saving moments for when you leave again…"

I pulled my face back and gazed at her sadly, "Love, we'll see each other again. You'll be coming out to LA in just a few weeks. It'll be much easier than our first separation."

"I know," Bella replied dejectedly. "But I'm still going to miss you."

I drew Bella into a tight embrace. "I'm going to miss you too, but I'm not leaving for two days. So, let's enjoy the time we have left."

She melted into my arms and held me just as close as I was holding her. I stroked her soft, strawberry scented hair and relished the moment. After a few minutes of holding one another, Bella finally lowered her hands and pulled out of my grasp. She looked up at me with happy, but watery, chestnut eyes.

"Okay, Cullen, let's get this finished up."

The next twenty minutes went by quickly as we returned Charlie's kitchen and dining room into their pre-Thanksgiving glory. When we were done, we walked outside to the front porch and found Charlie and Sue sitting on a porch swing. They didn't have any jackets but were wrapped up snuggly together in a thick wool blanket.

"Well, aren't you two cozy?" Bella teased with a light laugh. "I should take a picture." She dug around in her pockets for her cell phone.

As she started taking photos of Sue and Charlie, I looked around the yard and the street looking for the light reflection from camera lenses. I tried to be as careful but unobvious as possible so I wouldn't alert Bella. I didn't see any, but I made sure I stood between Bella and the street just to be safe. Charlie caught me looking around and noted my stance with Bella. He quirked an eyebrow at me, and I shook my head in response. I would explain what was going on, but not in front of the ladies.

"Where's Leah?" I asked, as Charlie continued to squirm while Bella took more pictures.

"I think she's in the living room texting her boyfriend or whatever he is," Sue said.

I nodded and did another sweep of the yard. Bella noticed my gaze this time and looked around as well.

"Is something wrong, Edward?" she asked.

"No, love, just looking around," I replied, cringing at misleading her again.

Later tonight when we were home, I'd tell her what I saw, but for now, she would enjoy her Thanksgiving. Charlie looked at me pointedly, knowing I lied to his daughter. I hung my head slightly as I pulled Bella close to me. Charlie seemed to understand and nodded his head.

"Hon, it's getting chilly outside. Let's go inside and spend some time with the kids," Charlie said to Sue as he started to gather their blanket.

Sue nodded and walked with Bella and me inside. Leah was lying down on the couch on her back with her cell phone in her hand, texting away. She sat up as we walked in and smiled shyly.

"Hey guys, come sit over here with me," Leah offered, patting the seats next to her.

I looked at Bella briefly to see if she had a problem with it. Apparently, I worried too much because Bella smiled without any hint of falseness and sat next to Leah. I followed and sat on the other side of Bella. Sue and Charlie sat on the other side of the room.

"How long have you guys been together?" Leah asked after we were all settled.

"About three months," Bella said.

"That's awesome! I'm so happy for you guys, really."

"Thanks," Bella and I said simultaneously.

"Seriously, Edward so deserves a good woman, Bella. His ex-girlfriend was such a piece of work."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Oh, you don't have to tell me," she replied with a laugh. "I learned first hand how crazy she is."

Leah's eyes widened. "Oh really? What happened?"

Charlie took that moment to pull me from the girls' conversation when he asked me to help him with something in his garage. I got up quickly as Bella got into the story about Tanya's interview and all the drama that ensued.

As Charlie and I walked into the garage, I had a feeling that he really didn't need help with anything but wanted a private place to chat. He stopped at the back of the garage and began fidgeting with a tackle box that was sitting on a work bench. I waited for him to speak, running my hands through my hair nervously.

"Edward, you're a nice kid," he began.

"Thank you, Charlie."

"But you have me concerned."

My heart raced a little. "Oh?"

"I noticed that it seemed like you were looking for something when you and Bella first arrived and again when we were outside after dinner. You also made a point of keeping yourself between Bella and the street."

I nodded. _Nothing gets past a cop._

"What's going on?" Charlie asked, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at me sternly. It was remarkable how Bella had Charlie's brown eyes, but looking into his eyes was nothing like looking into hers. This man definitely had the 'cop glare' down.

There was no way to beat around the bush about this. Charlie would see right through it. So, I laid it out for him. If he knew exactly what was going on, he would be able to protect Bella better when I was gone.

"The paparazzi are in Vermilion. I recognized one of them on the way here and I was looking to see if any of them followed us here. I was looking for any unusual flashes in shrubs or greenery. They are typically the reflection of camera lenses."

"Bella doesn't know?"

I shook my head. "Not yet. We've been expecting them to show up, but she hasn't really had to deal with anything outside of phone calls at the bar."

"Phone calls?"

"Yeah, I was recognized in the grocery store the other day, and the woman who spotted me knows Bella and promptly called the tabloids."

"Do you know the name of the woman that spotted you?"

"Yeah, Lauren Matthews. Do you know her?"

Charlie stroked his moustache with a wry look on his face. "Vermilion is a small town, Edward, and I'm the police chief. I know everyone."

I ran my hands through my hair again.

"And Lauren definitely had to be the worst person to be spotted by. Even _I _know she's an insufferable gossip," the older man added.

I rolled my eyes. "I realize that now. Making her acquaintance wasn't all that pleasant."

Charlie laughed before turning his expression serious again. "Bella isn't one that strives for the spotlight, son," Charlie warned.

"I know, Charlie. I've done everything I can to ensure that she does not have to worry about the paparazzi being on her doorstep, invading her life. Her home number is already unlisted and earlier this week I had a security system and fence installed. No one will be able to enter her property without her permission. She'll just have to learn how to deal with being out in public. Most of the attention here should pass once I return to LA."

"When are you going back?"

"Saturday afternoon. Most of the paparazzi should leave when I do, but there will still be a few stragglers. Most likely, they will hole up around the bar. She's gotten some extra security at the bar too, so that should help."

Charlie nodded, clearly pleased at the lengths I was taking to make sure his daughter would be safe.

I decided I needed to tell Charlie exactly where I was coming from and that I was serious about Bella. Clearing my throat, I looked Charlie straight in the eye. "Charlie, I love your daughter very much. I will do everything in my power to protect her." Charlie nodded as I continued. "Which is why I made sure she had the best kind of security for her home. The set up she has is very similar to what I have in my own home in LA. It will keep her safe."

Charlie stuck his hand out and I shook it quickly.

"Thank you, Edward, for taking care of my baby girl. I knew there was something different about you the first night I met you."

I winced, remembering why we had to meet at all. "I wish it had been under better circumstances."

"I do, too. But I'm very glad that you were there to protect her."

"I would do anything for her, Charlie," I swore solemnly.

"I know you will. Now let's get back to the girls before Bella thinks I have you handcuffed somewhere," Charlie teased, clapping me on the arm as he walked by me.

Back in the house, Bella, Leah, and Sue were all huddled together on the couch talking and giggling like schoolgirls.

"Are we interrupting something, ladies?" Charlie asked with a laugh.

All three women blushed as they pulled away from each other. Sue came over and stood with Charlie, taking his hand in hers. "Not a bit dear, just some girl talk. Leah and I were getting to know Bella."

I sat down next to Bella and slipped my arm around her shoulder, gently tugging her next to me. She smiled and put her hand on my leg. I really enjoyed this kind of familiarity and I was happy she felt comfortable enough to express her affection like this in front of her father.

"You ready to go, love?" I asked softly, brushing my lips across her ear.

She nodded and leaned into me. "Whenever you are."

We said our goodbyes and headed home. It had been a long day and we were both ready to relax at home before the craziness of the concert tomorrow. At some point tonight, I needed to tell Bella about the paparazzi. I was not looking forward to that conversation. I was also looking forward to some tasty leftovers tomorrow. However, there was a slice of apple pie that would not see the light of another day. It would provide perfect brain food for the excitement and probably drama of tomorrow night. I only hoped it wasn't as crazy as I was expecting it to be, for my sake and Bella's.

**A/N Thank you for your patience and for reading! **

**As always, teasers for the next chapter will be given with reviews. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO: www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=9524 (replace the 'dot' with .)**

**Please also note that in the past I have tried to update every week. That kind of updating schedule is pretty grueling to keep up with everything else I have going on so I am going to be updating every other week now. Chapter 20 will be up on or around July 2****nd****. Chapter 21 will be up on or around July 16****th**** and so on.**

**I have also started writing weekly picture prompts on a blog with some other great authors here in ficdom. If you want to read them, you can find them off of my FF profile or stop at the blog to see the other submissions as well: ****picprompt(dot)blogspot(dot)com**


	20. Chapter 20: The Show Must Go On

**A/N Thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. ** **And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**Chapter Twenty: The Show Must Go On**

**EPOV**

I was excited. There was no other way to describe it. On my last tour, I didn't have this feeling of anticipation and excitement before a show. I hadn't felt like that since I first started playing professionally, when I first moved to LA. Now, I wasn't tethered by a label or expectations; I could just be me. Bella could tell I was excited this morning as she got ready to head out to the bar. She laughed as I bounced around the house, talking animatedly about performing again and the songs I wanted to play. I didn't tell her about Garrett and the boys because I wanted that to be a surprise. She'd find out very soon that I wasn't doing a simple acoustic set. I wanted to show her this other side of myself. I knew she loved my music and had seen some of my movies, but she had never seen me perform live. I couldn't wait to share this with her.

Last night, I told her about the paparazzi I'd seen on the way to her father's. Bella was surprised but not upset. I had assumed that she was going to be mad that I didn't tell her right away. Instead, she was thankful that she was able to enjoy the holiday worry-free with her family. She asked whether I would have told her if I had seen someone at her father's house. I replied that if I had seen something troublesome, I would have told her.

Maybe that was why she was completely unfazed about tonight. She knew that they were here already, but they hadn't messed with her yet. I already knew that she had made sure extra security was going to be there, but I hoped she had a realistic idea of how crazy tonight was going to be. With the advent of Twitter and other social networking sites, news of my surprise concert would spread like wildfire, bringing in fans and media personnel. Sure, it would start out small, but as word got out, I fully anticipated that it would get insanely crazy.

I really hoped Bella wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security if the concert started out as calm as I expected it to be. She was a very strong woman but the media craziness could be too much. I was more worried about the media tonight than she was. I knew how they could be; she didn't. My worry was more like fear, fear that Bella would see just a fraction of what I normally had to deal with and bolt. She told me months ago that she could handle anything as long as we were together. I tried to keep that in mind as I prepared for the arrival of the equipment from Guitar Center and Garrett.

Carefully, I rearranged all of Bella's living room furniture to make room for everyone. I was originally going to ask her before I moved her stuff around, but then that would have spoiled the surprise of having a full band. After I got the furniture out of the way, the delivery van for Guitar Centerarrived. It didn't take very long for the men in the van to unload all of the equipment. Once I had made sure everything was in, I signed the bill and they were on their way.

I had an hour until Garrett and his friends were supposed to arrive, so I warmed up with the Gibson for awhile. Most of the equipment, like the mixing board and all the speakers, would have to wait until everyone was here. The Gibson was slightly out of tune, but I was able to take care of that easily. Chords and riffs flew from my hands as I played and I lost all track of time. It seemed like I had just started playing when the gate intercom buzzed again.

I jumped up and ran over to the door excitedly before being yanked back towards the living room. In my enthusiasm, I had neglected to unplug the guitar from the amplifier. Laughing at myself over something I hadn't done since high school, I unplugged myself and toggled the gate intercom, allowing Garrett's truck to enter. I set my guitar down on the couch and ran outside to meet my friend who I hadn't seen in far too long.

The truck came to a stop behind my Volvo. There was a small enclosed trailer hitched to the back of the truck. I waited on the path that connected the driveway and front door. My palms started sweating, but I had a big grin plastered on my face. A familiar sandy blond head stepped out of the driver's seat of the truck. Soon after, two of the other doors of the truck opened, and Garrett's 'Boys' exited the vehicle. Both looked to be around the same age as Garrett and me. The taller of the two wore a straw cowboy hat.

I approached Garrett as he started to walk towards me.

"Garrett, my man, you're looking well!" I said as we shared the time honored one-armed man hug.

"Cullen, doesn't look like you've changed much since I saw you last," the other man commented as he stepped back.

"Yeah, but you didn't see me in between," I replied dryly.

"Oh, I heard about it. You've been quite the popular man in the tabloids."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's not going to change any time soon, unfortunately."

"All comes with the territory, I suppose."

I shrugged.

"Well, let me introduce you to my boys," Garrett said, gesturing to the two men standing by the front of the truck. They walked towards us, each of them eyeing me up and down, not hostile but curious and a bit cautious.

"This is Rhys and Colin. Rhys's on drums, Colin's on guitar." Rhys was taller than I was with a slightly bigger build. He was the one wearing the straw cowboy hat. Colin was more swarthy, dark haired and tanned with a goatee. "Guys, this is Edward Cullen."

"Hey guys," I greeted, extending my hand to each of them. "Thank you for coming all the way out here. I really appreciate it."

Rhys and Colin nodded and shook my hand.

"Garrett has told us a lot about you, Edward," Rhys said, his southern accent coming through.

"Yeah, sounds like you guys had some good times in college," Colin added. He also had a bit of a twang, but it wasn't as strong as Rhys.

I smiled softly. "Those were some of the best times of my life, to be honest." Garrett grinned at my admission and nodded as I continued speaking. "We made a great team."

I cleared my throat briefly before speaking. "Before we unload, let me show you the space we have to practice in," I said, waving them to follow me into the house. The three men followed quietly behind me.

"This is a nice place you have here, Edward," Garrett commented as we stood in the living room. Rhys walked over to the mixing board and started to tinker with the settings.

"Thanks, but it's not mine. This is my girlfriend's house."

"Not bad," Garrett mused, looking at the picture of Bella and me on the mantel.

"Um, if you guys need anything, the kitchen is just through there and the bathroom is down the hall."

They nodded and we all walked back outside to start unloading. A half hour later, we had transformed Bella's living room into a studio. The mixing board was programmed, the drums were set up, and the guitars and bass were tuned.

Rhys sat in the corner of the room surrounded by his drum set. He twirled his drumsticks in his hand as he waited for us to start. The rest of us stood in a rough circle around him.

"So, what do you guys normally do to warm up?" I asked. I had a routine down, but everyone's methods were different. Since I had been playing earlier as well, I felt I was pretty well warmed up already.

"Eh, we just pick a song we all know," Colin drawled.

Rhys nodded. "How about _Brother_?"

Colin nodded and Garrett cocked an eyebrow at Rhys' choice but went along with it. I shrugged my shoulders. I figured this was a test and I was ready to prove myself. It wasn't a song I necessarily would've picked to warm up with, but it was a good song. It was aggressive and had some really great lyrics. I hadn't played it in awhile, but I figured I'd be able to get into the groove easily enough.

Satisfied, Rhys counted off the beat with his drum sticks, and I started the guitar intro. About two measures in, Rhys started the drum line, and two measures after that, Garrett tore into the booming bass riff. The melody took me in as I sang the opening lyrics.

_Once upon a time I knew everything  
When I stop to think back on everything  
It all runs away like a memory_

The lyrics were written for a group, so it allowed for the rest of guys to sing during the chorus and during parts of the verses. I wasn't a big screamer, so Rhys was able to provide that part when the segue into the chorus started. As we played, I looked at Garrett and he nodded with a big smile on his face. This was definitely a song we needed to play at the bar. Originally, I wanted to strictly play my music, but this song was too awesome to not play. It seemed so fitting to my situation and Garrett was like a long lost brother to me. The look that Garrett was giving me gave me the impression that he was thinking the same thing.

As the last chords of the song died out, we all had huge grins on our faces, and the energy in the room was practically palpable.

"That was awesome," Colin said enthusiastically.

"It certainly was," I agreed. I realized at that moment that this was what I had been missing over the past several years, probably since I left Seattle. I didn't have The band I played with while I was on tour was assigned to me by the label. I didn't get to pick who played with me. They were paid to play my music and that was it. The touring band wasn't bad, I got along with the guys well enough, but they weren't who I would have picked to play with. The trio of men in front of me chose one another. These guys had a comfort level and a camaraderie that was plain to see. This relaxed attitude made it easy to step in and play with them. Tonight was going to be a blast.

"Did you guys have any questions about the music I sent to Garrett earlier this week?" I asked. The music I sent wasn't terribly hard, so even with the short time frame, they should've been able to pick it up relatively quickly.

"Nah, I don't think so," Colin said. "We ran over some of it the past two days to get a feel for your style. You've got some good stuff. I like the fact that while your basic style doesn't change, your songs shift from rock to folk to acoustic and even a ballad. That kind of creative diversity without losing your style is impressive."

I smiled at the compliment. "You can thank Garrett for some of that. He opened my eyes to some of the different types of music that I hadn't been exposed to yet. We also worked hard on not pigeon-holing ourselves in one particular type of sound but not being so eclectic as to not be recognizable from one song to another."

Garrett shrugged and adjusted the strap of his bass. "Nah, we showed each other shit. Different background, different styles and all. Alright, let's get down to business and play."

We spent the next several hours practicing. Playing with Garrett again was incredible. Rhys and Colin seemed to be pretty cool as well, especially after I was able to pass the _Brother_ test. I discovered during short conversations in between songs that Garrett and his boys had met in a bar in Nashville. Garrett had returned to Tennessee after graduating from the University of Washington. This bar that the three of them were at was having a jam night. Colin and Rhys already knew each other and were playing on stage. Garrett waited his turn and hopped up on stage when a prior bass player had finished. The trio clicked, in a manner very similar to how Garrett and I clicked back when we were freshmen. After that jam session, they continued to play together and became a regular in the Nashville music scene. They didn't hit it big like I did, but they seemed very happy with where they were in life.

A few times, we had to stop to work through some tricky chord progressions and fingerings. Garrett and I even put our heads together, like old times, to make some adjustments to a song.

"God, this brings back memories," I said softly as Colin and Rhys stepped away to get something to drink.

Garrett grinned and clapped me on the back. "It sure does." He thought a moment before speaking again. "Do you still talk to anyone from college?"

"Just Jasper. Do you remember him?"

"Hmm, Jasper Whitlock, right? Tall, blond guy with a Texas accent?" Garrett asked as he made a notation to the sheet music.

"That's him. Although he has almost lost his accent by now."

"Really? What's he been up to?"

I stretched and ran my hand through my hair. "He's a psychologist in Seattle and will be marrying my sister, Alice, in the spring."

"Wow! Little Alice is getting married?"

"Yep, Alice is still little, but she's all grown up now."

Garrett shook his head. "Damn, time flies. She was still in high school when I first met her."

Rhys and Colin walked back in the room and sprawled on the couch while Garrett and I continued to talk.

"What about you? You talk to anyone from college?"

"Not really. Since I moved back to Nashville, it made it hard to stay in contact with people. Although, I do get emails every so often from Amy."

"Amy? The same Amy who I dated?" I asked incredulously.

"The very same," Garrett replied with a grin.

I leaned against the speaker stack, stunned. "Holy shit! How is she doing? I didn't realize you two stayed in contact after I left."

"We didn't. She was down in Nashville last year and happened to be in the same bar we were playing in. She stopped by after our set and we chatted for awhile."

I shook my head in disbelief and chuckled. "That's awesome. She is a great girl."

"That she is. She's living somewhere up in Boston right now. She was in Nashville for work. She asked about you a few times too."

My head shot up as I looked at Garrett's amused expression. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, nothing major, but she wondered if we had stayed in contact." He laughed. "I got an email from her just the other day after you called me about coming up here. I told her about the gig and she made me promise to take lots of pictures and email her a few. She also asked me to tell you she said hello and that she always believed that you'd make it big."

I looked down at my feet and couldn't stop the slight blush from coloring my face. Without Amy's support back then, I may not have taken the initiative to move to LA.

"Tell her, thank you," I replied softly.

"Will do," Garrett said, just as softly. I stood, slightly stunned for a moment, humbled and awed over Amy's comments. I had become a different man in the past few years and yet she still wished me well. I still had friends I didn't realize I had.

I cleared my throat and grabbed some sheet music that we hadn't looked at yet. "So, guys, I started writing a new song the other day, and I was hoping we could try to fit it in tonight."

All three men looked at me with interest. "Let's see what you got," Colin said.

I handed each guy a copy of the song and laughed a bit when I handed Garrett his copy. "I must've had you in mind when I wrote the bass line. It's pretty frantic, has some great riffs."

Garrett's eyebrows shot up as he looked over the music and saw what I meant.

"It's doable," he said as he silently ran through some of the chord progressions over the strings of his bass. Colin and Rhys were also immersed in their music, fingers twitching as they ran through the song in their minds.

"Edward, this is amazing," Colin murmured. "What inspired this?"

I thought a moment as I examined my mindset on Tuesday when I wrote most of it. "Anticipation?"

Colin nodded and read through the song again.

"Let's run this bitch," Rhys declared, causing the rest of us to laugh. He quickly clicked out the tempo and we began.

xOxOx

Later, as we were packing up our equipment, Garrett and I talked quietly, catching up a bit more.

"Wow, Tanya sounds like a piece of work," he commented after I told him the whole sordid story about my relationship with the she-devil and the lengths she went to try to break up Bella and me.

"Yeah, and what sucks is that I can't escape her quite yet. The movie is still shooting and then I have to be around her for the press junket and the premieres."

Garrett shook his head as he reached for a box. "Dude, I do not envy you one bit," he said seriously.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's not all bad. Things have gotten a lot better since I met Bella. If I hadn't gone through what I did with Tanya, who knows if I ever would've met Bella. Although, I do have to admit, I envy the camaraderie that you, Rhys, and Colin share. It was never like that with my touring band."

"That's too bad." Garrett took a deep breath before he continued. "You fit in well with us, Edward. Ever consider slowing down a bit?"

I regarded my friend for a few minutes, trying to figure out what he was really trying to say. "Not really, but things are a little different now."

Garrett looked me straight in the eye and spoke plainly. "You and I were a great team before. The magic is still there. If you ever change your mind, look me up."

I almost stumbled, dumbstruck at what he was offering me. To most, Garrett's offer would seem backwards. After all, I had already made it and was reasonably successful. Slowing things down and limiting my visibility would be considered a step down to a lot of people, but I realized that while I had been successful, I wasn't truly happy. Sure, I had moments of pleasure and happiness but deep down I wasn't happy with the direction my life had taken. Bella certainly helped make things better and she was the only reason why I was still sane, but I hadn't really done anything to change where my life was going. I was happiest with my life when I played the bar circuit with Garrett. I wondered where I would've been now if I had met Bella in college.

My mind whirled with question after question. I loved what I did, minus the harassment from the paparazzi and crazed fans, but did I really want to give that up now? Would I really be giving it up or just channeling it into something simpler? Did I want to slow down? Would I miss performing in the bigger venues? What advantage did playing the bigger venues provide me?

Money wasn't the issue as I had enough for a lifetime now, so the financial draw of big tours wasn't there. Garrett and I really did make a great team. Playing with him again made me realize what I had been missing when I left Seattle. It wasn't the fame or the fortune, although at the time I left I thought that was what I wanted. What I had done was left half of my creativity in Seattle. Granted, I had found success on my own, but when I looked back, I was most proud of the quality of music that I created with Garrett. Could I be satisfied with what I'd done since then and continue like nothing changed? Or even better, would Garrett consider joining me in LA and creating a new band together?

How would this affect my acting, if at all? If _Everything But_ did well enough at the box office, it would solidify my status as an A-list actor. Then it would not matter where I lived, the roles would come to me instead of me going to them. If I were to join Garrett, we could still cut albums, but doing tours would be an issue. And where would I live? Nashville? Ohio? California? What about Bella? Would a label let us stay in small venues? Would Garrett even _want_ to tour? He was good enough he could've made it big on his own, as I had, so why didn't he pursue stardom?

Ultimately, could slowing things down be the opportunity that Bella and I needed to make our relationship last? Would performing in smaller settings provide enough stability for our relationship to grow? I would still be gone for a month or two if I was doing a movie that wasn't being shot nearby, but tour commitments were always longer and more tiring. If I continued to do both, I'd hardly ever see Bella. Seeing her for a week every couple of months was no way for a relationship to grow and thrive.

Garrett clapped me on the shoulder, startling me out of my rapidly spinning thoughts. "Don't think that hard about it, man. You'll give yourself an aneurism. Just know that the offer is there if you ever want it."

I nodded dumbly as I coiled up a microphone cable.

Rhys and Colin interrupted my thoughts when they came outside carrying the mixing board between them.

"Is that the last of it?" I asked, trying to ground myself in what we were doing.

They nodded as they heaved the board into the trailer carefully.

"Great! Let's head out to the bar and get set up. Then I can introduce you to Bella."

xOxOx

As we pulled into the bar parking lot, happy hour was in full swing. The lot looked fuller than normal for the typical happy hour crowd. I quickly scanned the lot for rental cars and camera lenses. I found none. Sinking back in my seat with relief, I directed Garrett to pull around to the back of the bar to unload. As he was parking, I shot off a quick text to Bella to let her know we had arrived. Bella was quick to respond.

**-We?-**

_**-Yep, it's a surprise-**_

**-Alrighty.-**

_**-I'll introduce u after we r set up-**_

**-Ok. Oh, we r pretty busy too. Good crowd for ur show & biz.-**

_**-Jake keeping every1 under control?-**_

**-Oh yeah, we've got plenty of security 2nite-**

_**-Even better. Love you-**_

**-Love you-**

Garrett looked over at me with an amused expression.

"What?" I asked as I slipped my Mariner's hat on.

He shook his head and chuckled. "Nothing, man. Just glad to see you again."

I grabbed the dolly that Bella used to move cases of beer to help us move the speaker stacks. It was much easier to move them all at once than to carry them individually. After Rhys stacked up the dolly, he followed behind me with the box of cables and our distortion pedals. Garrett and Colin grabbed the mixing board. Eventually we got the rest of our equipment inside and set up. It didn't take as long as it had at Bella's house, which was good. I kept an eye out as we worked to see if I could find Bella. She caught my gaze a few times and smiled warmly, her face lighting up. I'd flash a smile for her and then go back to what I was working on. I tried listening for her voice a few times, but the noise of the bar was too much to hear anything that far away. A few times, I heard Garrett chuckling behind me. I really wanted to know what he found so funny about Bella and me. I saw Jessica bounce around the bar a few times. She was clearly excited about my upcoming concert. I was just glad she didn't come running over and disrupt us as we were setting up.

Once we were done, we made our way through the crowd to the bar. There weren't any stools left, so we clumped together where there was room. Bella saw us and quickly made her way over while the other bartender helped at the opposite end of the bar. She looked great. She was wearing her normal bar attire, but her eyes were bright with excitement and her glossy brown hair swung back and forth from where she had it pulled back in a ponytail.

"Wow, that bartender is hot," Colin drawled as Bella approached.

I smirked and thought about trying to kiss Bella over the bar. The move was a bit too caveman-ish, and I really didn't need to show up Colin so I decided against it.

"Hello, boys, welcome to the Midnight Sun," Bella greeted as she grabbed four napkins and placed them on the bar in front of us.

"Hey baby," I said, leaning against the bar on my elbows.

Bella smiled and rolled her eyes. "What can I get for you guys?"

"Black and tan," Garrett replied.

"Bud and a shot of Jack," Colin said.

"Dos Equis," was Rhys request.

Bella turned to me, raising one eyebrow as she waited for my order.

"My usual," I replied simply.

Bella laughed and shook her head as she got our drink orders.

"Your usual?" Colin asked. "You come here a lot?"

"Oh, on and off," I replied nonchalantly.

Garrett started laughing. "Colin, you are very unobservant, you know that?" I couldn't help but snicker as well. Rhys looked amused but didn't say anything.

Colin's eyebrows furrowed as he glared at Garrett, then the rest of us. "What?"

"The bartender is Edward's girlfriend, dumbass."

"How-"

Colin's question was cut off as Bella returned with our drink orders.

"Thank you, baby," I replied softly. The guys murmured their thanks as well as Garrett threw a twenty on the top of the bar. I took a pull thirstily from my beer.

Bella nodded thanks to Garrett and put the twenty in the tip jar by the cash register behind the bar.

"Bella, this is the surprise I told you about. I called in an old friend of mine and asked him to play with me tonight. Not only was he able to come, but he brought his two band mates with him," I started as she walked around the bar to join us. When she was close enough, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close. It was hard not to touch her when she was nearby. Inexplicably, everything was a little bit better when I was in physical contact with her. She smiled warmly at me and put her arm around me, slipping her hand in my back pocket.

"This is Garrett. He and I had a band in college together. And these are his boys, Rhys and Colin." I gestured to each one. Rhys pulled off his cowboy hat as I introduced him.

"Guys, this is Bella and this is her bar," I said proudly, squeezing her side as I spoke.

"Pleasure to meet you."

"Ma'am."

"Edward has told me a lot about you," replied Garrett, the last of the three to speak.

Bella blushed and laughed lightly. "All good I hope! He's told me a bit about you as well. It is good to finally put a face to the name."

Garrett smiled widely and winked at Bella. "And it's good to see a woman who is able to keep Edward out of trouble."

I groaned while Bella continued to giggle. "He better stay out of trouble. My dad is the police chief."

"Oooooooh," Rhys said as we laughed.

"Well, boys, it was great meeting all of you and I can't wait for your gig, but I have a bar to run," Bella said as she pulled away from me.

The men smiled and nodded their heads, murmuring similar pleasantries.

Before Bella walked away, she pulled her face down to mine and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "Can't wait to see you on stage, baby," she whispered.

Once she was back behind the bar and immersed in drink orders, Garrett leaned against the bar beside me. "That's a good woman there, Edward," he observed.

"Yeah, she is. She saved me."

Garrett looked at me speculatively as he sipped his drink. "But can you save her?"

I turned to him, confused. "What are you talking about? Save her from what?"

"That's something you'll need to figure out on your own there, man," he advised, leaving me full of questions.

Thankfully, Colin took this moment to decide that we needed to do a round of shots before we went up on stage. I declined, said I'd take a sip of my beer in its place.

"Dude, its just one shot," Colin insisted.

I shook my head. "I can't stop when it comes to liquor. One shot will become two shots, then three and so on. I can handle beer."

"Aw, come on," he pressed. My eyes narrowed as I felt my temper start to rise.

"Colin, stop it. Respect the man's wishes," Rhys said softly, clapping a hand on his shoulder. I nodded my head in Rhys direction in thanks.

Colin grumbled a little but did not push it any further. The three of them did a shot of Jack while I drank my beer. The crowd in the bar continued to grow as it got closer to the start of the concert. My excitement continued to grow as I fed off the energy in the room. I finished my beer and set the empty bottle on the bar.

Garrett looked about the room and took a deep breath. "Ready, guys?"

I nodded and clapped my hands together. "Show time!"

I craned my neck around as we walked towards the stage to try to find Bella, but I couldn't see her. As I climbed the few steps to the stage, a sense of calm came over me. This was my dream, playing on my terms, not dancing to a label's tune. If I ever wanted to sign with another label, I had to find a way to keep it like this. Maybe Garrett would want to go on the road with me.

We quickly and quietly tuned our instruments. I vaguely noticed that the jukebox volume was turned down and the stage lights were lit. Thankfully there weren't that many as it got very, very hot underneath them. The crowd in the bar started to gather around the stage in anticipation. Tables and chairs were pushed and pulled in various places to make room. I still couldn't see Bella in the room, even from our elevated vantage point. I wondered where she went. Jessica was standing right up front with a few of her friends.

Bringing my mind back to the task at hand, I stood with my back to the bar, facing my band mates. I hefted the weight of my guitar, running my hand down the smooth body, whose shape was singular to Gibson. I closed my eyes and said a brief prayer of thanks. When I opened them, Garrett was looking at me solemnly and nodded once.

"Everybody ready?" I asked quietly. They nodded, and I turn and face the crowd which consisted of a nice mix of both men and women. When I turned towards the crowd, everyone started cheering. I took a deep breath, pulled out my best, most dazzling smile, and approached the microphone. "Hi, I'm Edward Cullen."

People in the crowd gasped and I saw cell phones whip out as texts were sent announcing my presence. I looked around for Bella again and was struck dumb when I saw her. Apparently, she had changed before the show and was now wearing a short dark blue strapless dress that hugged her curves and showed a mile of leg. She smiled up at me as I eyed her up and down. Her smile turned into a smirk as she saw the effect her dress was having on me. Thankfully, my guitar covered any physical manifestations of what she was doing to me. I had only seen her in a dress once before, and that green sundress was rather conservative compared to this. I had a feeling my sister had a hand in this purchase, and I didn't mind one bit. Garrett cleared his throat behind me, reminding me that I was there to perform not ogle my gorgeous girlfriend.

Colin must've been following my gaze as I heard him mutter, "Damn, Edward, Bella is somethin' else."

I nodded and got my head back in the game. "Thank you for coming out tonight. We have a great show for you," I said quietly into the microphone.

Rhys clicked off the beat with his drum sticks and opened our gig with an attention grabbing intro. Time seemed to slow as I felt every muscle in my body. My heart thumped deeply in my chest, my breaths, deep and full. I stood with my weight on the balls of my feet. My fingers flexed across the neck of the guitar as I pressed the pads of my fingers down on the frets, pushing against the tension of the steel strings. My other hand hovered over the pickups, the pick pinched between my thumb and forefinger. Garrett kept the tempo going with the bass line, and I closed my eyes as I waited for my start. Finally, the bass line ramped up to bring in the main guitar and rhythm guitar. My wrist flicked down, picking across the strings, the nylon pick making each one vibrate. It felt like I felt every vibration down to the soles of my feet and deep into my bones. Time came rushing back to normal speed, and I found myself at the microphone singing my heart out. My hand flew up and down the neck of the guitar ripping out chords as my other hand strummed furiously away.

We played and we sang, a cohesive unit, and it was amazing. I felt like I was flying. This was not an obligation. This was not just a job. This was me, my life, my passion. The past several years of my musical career felt like nothing more than an obligation, a job not a career. The only thing that was missing from that experience was a time clock to punch every day. I needed to find this again.

As we played, I constantly looked for Bella in the crowd. She was usually around the bar, but I could always find her. God, she was gorgeous. I saw the looks of the men in the room as she went to and from the bar. It didn't bother me like I thought it would. What did those guys have on me? I was the one that was going home with her, not them.

Once we had played for about a half hour, we took a short break. We had all worked up a sweat and I desperately needed to relieve myself. The crowd cheered happily when I said we'd be back in ten minutes. Camera flashes went off left and right as I waved to everyone and hopped off the stage.

I probably should've thought that out a little bit more before I willingly went into the crowd. All I could think about was getting to the bathroom to freshen up and to properly kiss Bella, the paparazzi and people with camera phones be damned. The chaste little peck she gave me earlier was fine, but I had to kiss her the way a man kisses his woman. The crowd, however, all too excited that I was wandering around them, took the opportunity to stop me for pictures or autographs. Normally this wouldn't be that big of a problem except my bladder was getting really insistent. I was trying to extricate myself once again from a group of giggling women when I felt a large hand clap me on the shoulder.

"Come on, ladies. Let the man breathe," rumbled Jake's deep voice. They pouted but stepped away as Jacob made a path for me.

"Thanks, Jake," I yelled over the din of the bar.

"No problem. You looked a little panicked back there."

"I was starting to be. My eyeballs were starting to float."

After we got through the worst of the crowd, I was able to walk freely to the restrooms. Jake stood nearby and waited for me to finish so he could escort me back to the stage. A few minutes later, feeling much more comfortable, I sought out Bella. Thankfully, she wasn't far. Her back was to me and I was able to sneak up on her, the noise providing perfect cover. I snaked my arms around her waist and dusted her shoulder with kisses. She tensed up immediately, startled, but relaxed just as quickly once she knew it was me.

"Edward," she breathed, as she turned in my arms and rested her hands on my chest. "What are you doing? Just about everyone has camera phones around here and there still could be paparazzi around."

"I don't care about them. They already know about us. I had to kiss you properly," I whispered. She was so much more beautiful up close. Her hair was still pulled back in the ponytail, but she had put on some make-up. I personally didn't think she needed it, but it definitely helped create the look I think she was going for this evening.

"You sound amazing," she gushed, her cheeks flushed in excitement.

"Thank you. I'm having a lot of fun up there. I wondered where you disappeared off to when we started playing." I ran my hands up and down the silk-like fabric of her dress. "You look absolutely gorgeous, Bella. I wanted to jump down off the stage and ravish you the moment I first saw you in this."

Bella blushed even more and shyly glanced down at herself. "Alice picked this out for me when we went shopping, before you came back. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to wear it. Today seemed like a good opportunity."

I hummed and pulled her closer to me. Her arms slipped around my waist and I leaned down to her ear. "As much as I love seeing you in it, I can't wait to see you out of it," I purred, my lips brushing her ear lobe.

Bella gasped and I pulled my face back so I could look at her. Before she could speak, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her. Her lips were so soft, and I didn't want to leave this moment, but the show must go on. Regretfully, I pulled away and dropped my hands to her shoulders, down her arms, to her hands.

"I need to get back out there."

She nodded and squeezed my hands.

"I love you," she whispered. I could barely hear her over the noise, but I was able to read her lips.

I smiled and mouthed it back to her before I turned to head back to the stage. Jacob accompanied me, and I managed to return to the stage without being mauled or manhandled by over-enthusiastic fans. Back on stage, I noticed that the size of the crowd had increased significantly. The word was officially out that I was here. I idly wondered what the occupancy limit was for the bar and if the crowd had maxed it out. The rest of the guys were already on stage and were getting ready to start again. Our second set would be a bit longer than our first. We had decided to start with the song we used to warm up with. In the middle of our set, I was going to throw in a couple acoustical songs, then back to the rock that everyone was used to hearing. To end the night, we were going to leave everyone with my new song. The energy of that song would translate well for the completion of a show.

Ready to begin, I approached the microphone and the noise of the bar went down considerably. I peered out to the array of faces, all looking up at me. It struck me at that moment that this level of intimacy could not be found in larger venues. In places like this, I could look every person in the eye. I could perform to them and not some nameless, faceless mass of people.

"Thank you again to see us tonight. We really appreciate you coming out," I said humbly. "You all know who I am by now, but let me introduce you to the band. On bass, we have Garrett." Garrett let out a quick bass riff and nodded his head. "Drums, we have Rhys." Rhys answered with a drum fill and let out a shout. "And rounding out our group is Colin on rhythm guitar." Colin did not disappoint and did a quick slide up and down his guitar. "Now, normally I don't play covers during my concerts, but this song was very fitting. I hope you like it."

I stepped away from the microphone closed my eyes as Rhys set the tempo for _Brother_. My mind was in tune with the music as my hands danced across the strings of my guitar. I gave myself over to the music and let the pulse and beat guide me. My head began to bob once Rhys came in with a loud cymbal crash and some drum rolls. I felt my heart beat in time to the music as I tore into the melody of the song. Garrett came in at the same time with the booming bass line. The hairs on my arms stood on end as Colin started the harmony. I'd heard this song many times before but never had I had this physical of a reaction playing it. This just felt right, playing this song at that moment with these guys in this place. I approached the mic and kept my eyes closed, letting my hands fly across the guitar. As the melody fell away, only Garrett and Rhys played as the song approached the first verse. I stood; one hand rested on my guitar and the other clutched the microphone as I crooned into the mic. Colin and Garrett's voices blended in the background, fleshing out the harmony. Eventually Rhys came in, providing the segue into the chorus, and my hands went into action again. The song continued and as we approached the bridge, I felt that feeling again, like an epiphany, that this was _right._

_When it's something we love that keeps us away  
Well it costs even more and it's so much to pay  
To have you all here with me_

The song ended and the crowd clearly loved our version of Dark New Day's song. We continued into the rest of the set, reveling on the high from the energy between the four of us and the crowd before us. Even when we slowed things down a bit when I played my favorite acoustic songs from my albums, the energy was still there. I was surprised when I heard groups of the crowd singing along with me. I looked over in wonder at Garrett, then to Bella as I cradled my treasured acoustic guitar. Bella had tears in her eyes as she clutched her hands to her chest. I smiled just for her and returned my gaze around the bar.

We played a few more of my rock standards before we went in for the home stretch with my new song, aptly named _Hysteria_. Garrett had his work cut out for him with this song, but I had faith in him. Of all the bass players I knew, he was the only one I would want to play this song.

I approached the microphone for the last time of the night. "For our last song-" I was interrupted by boos and sounds of complaint from the floor of the bar. "We'll be playing something brand new, something I wrote just recently. I hope you like it." Everyone there seemed to be pacified that they'd be hearing a brand new song before anyone else anywhere, even if it meant the last song of the night.

Rhys set up the tempo once again, and Garrett began ripping up the frenetic bass line. As the song began to build, I looked over at Bella again. She stood in front of the bar; her eyes were wide and dark. The song already had a sexual element to it and her looking at me the way she was wasn't helping. I groaned to myself, thankfully not loud enough to be picked up by the mic, and tore into the song. The guitar felt like an extension of myself as my hands slowly came down the neck in a slide of increasing intensity.

I looked over at Bella again and she licked her lips. _That woman is pushing my restraint._ I wasn't even sure if she realized she'd done it.

As I reached the base of the neck of the guitar, I ripped into the melody. I found myself prowling around the stage like a caged animal as I played. Bella's eyes never left my body as I moved. Nearing the start of the first verse, I made my way back to the mic and poured everything I had into this last song. Everyone in the crowd was watching us with rapt attention. Garrett was a machine on the bass, Colin was holding steady on his guitar, and Rhys was having a ball. I glanced back at him quickly to find him staring back at me with a huge smile on his face as he wailed on the drums. He was clearly in his element. I looked toward Bella again as we got into the chorus. She was now leaning against the bar, her face flushed. Bella evidently liked this song. My body was already responding to the intensity of the song and the intensity of her gaze.

I had to close my eyes before I jumped off the stage mid-song. The timing was perfect as we entered into a guitar solo. I took a step back and let the music come over me. The solo was tricky, but my fingers flew across the strings and up and down the neck of the guitar. The song was ramping up for a big finish and I had to connect to Bella again. I stomped towards the mic again and opened my eyes wide and stared at Bella as I sang.

_And I want you now  
I want you now  
I feel my heart implode  
And I'm breaking out  
Escaping now  
Feeling my faith erode_

Seconds after that, the song ended with the four of us all playing one final note. As soon as the chord was done, I unplugged my guitar, tossed it at Garrett who laughed at me, and jumped off the stage. Bella was in my line of sight, and nothing was getting in my way. Fans tried to talk to me, people touched me as I stalked by, but nothing was keeping me from my goal. Bella's eyes never left mine the entire time, and she was almost shaking by the time I made it over to her.

"Bella," I croaked.

She did not say a word but launched herself at me. I wrapped my arms around her as her lips crashed into mine possessively. The crowd cheered around us and not even that was enough to make me let her go. I normally was not big on overt public displays of affection, but I couldn't help myself this time. Not after playing that song that I'd written when I was thinking about her. Not after she looked at me the way she did. Not after she kissed me the way she was kissing me.

"Office," she panted against my lips. "Now."

I grinned and quickly steered her in the right direction.

**A/N Muse fans out there, please forgive the borrowing of **_**Hysteria. **_**I have always loved that song and can see my Edward singing/playing it. **

**For those that want to hear the entire song of the two that are mentioned in this chapter, use the links below after taking out the (dot) or you can just google the band and the song and they will come up.**

"**Brother" – Dark New Day www(dot)spike(dot)com/video/brother-dark-new-day/2672400**

"**Hysteria" – Muse www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=k7la0SndoCl **

**As always, teasers for the next chapter will be given with reviews. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO: www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=9524 (replace the 'dot' with .)**

**I have also started writing weekly picture prompts on a blog with some other great authors here in ficdom. If you want to read them, you can find them off of my FF profile or stop at the blog to see the other submissions as well: picprompt(dot)blogspot(dot)com**

**Chapter 21 will be up on or around July 16th.**


	21. Chapter 21: A Long Way Home

**A/N Thanks to my PTB betas HEAR and Sirenastarot. And as always, I don't own Twilight.**

**There is a substantial lemon in this chapter. Because of the T rating, this chapter has been edited. If you wish to enjoy the lemony goodness that occurs in Bella's office, please read the second chapter of BFTO Series of Oneshots www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5451194/1/BFTO_Series_of_OneShots**

**Chapter Twenty-One: A Long Way Home**

**BPOV**

Edward's enthusiasm was infectious. I couldn't help but be excited for the show. I was excited for him, and I was excited to see him on the stage for the first time. Sure, he had played for me before, but this was different. I was nervous about the paparazzi being there, but I would deal with it when it happened. I had extra security in place, and Edward would be there with me. I was fairly confident that there wouldn't be anything there that would bother me.

I was just glad I was able to enjoy Thanksgiving without having to worry about the paparazzi. It would've been nice to know beforehand that photographers were in Vermilion, but I understood why Edward hadn't said anything right away.

The arrival of the paparazzi wasn't the only surprising thing I learned about on Thanksgiving. It was a little disconcerting to be face to face with someone who intimately knew Edward, as Leah did, but at least that part was in the past. Edward and Leah never had a romantic relationship; their one night together was just sex. If I was a little uncomfortable with Leah, I couldn't imagine what Edward's first thoughts were when I told him about Jacob. Not only had we been involved sexually, we'd actually been in a committed relationship. Now, he worked for me. Edward had taken the news much better than I would have in his position. Hell, look what had happened with the whole Tanya fiasco.

Leah seemed to be pretty cool, which made it somewhat easier to set aside her history with Edward. It was nice to be able to talk about Tanya with someone, besides Edward, who knew how crazy she was. Most importantly, for Charlie's sake, I was making an effort to get along with Leah. I could see how much he loved Sue, so I thought the least I could do was get along with someone who could end up being my step-sister.

And now, I had a surprise planned for Edward. The dress that I bought when I went shopping with Alice practically jumped out at me when I was digging through my closet. It was perfect for tonight, and here I thought I'd never have a reason to wear it. Edward had only seen me in a dress once before, so I couldn't wait to see his reaction. The cocktail dress was a far cry from the relatively innocent green sundress I wore on my birthday. While Edward showered, I quickly packed away the dress and some make-up so I could change at the bar. Edward was none the wiser when I left for work.

As I pulled into the entrance of the bar, I noticed that there were a few cars in the lot that I didn't recognize. I didn't see anyone inside any of the vehicles even though the bar wasn't open yet. and the bar wasn't open yet. _Weird._ I looked around quickly for anything odd looking in the trees or shrubs, like shaking branches or flashes of light. I didn't see anything, but that didn't mean that no one was there. The cars hadn't driven themselves to the bar.

In the bar, everything was normal. The ever reliable and dependable Angela and Jacob were already there setting up. The stage area was clear and ready for tonight. I wondered just what Edward was going to do. All he had with him from LA was his acoustic guitar. I had to admit that I really wanted to hear him play an electric guitar.

Just picturing Edward with an electric guitar strapped to his body was making me dizzy. There was definitely something sexual about a guitar, especially an electric, in the way a guitarist strokes the neck up and down as the strings are plucked and strummed by nimble fingers. Watching him play his guitar reminded me of how his fingers and hands could play me.

"Bella?"

Angela's voice pulled me out of my daydreams as I turned to address her.

"Hey, Ang."

She smiled broadly as we walked to my office. "Are you ready for tonight?"

"As ready as I am going to be. I think we are going to have a record crowd," I said quietly as I put my bag down on my desk. I didn't think I would be spending much time here.

"Me too. When are the guys from the police department supposed to be here?"

"About four, when happy hour starts. I don't expect much until then. We are known for our live music, but no one knows who it is yet. Hey, did you notice any strange cars in the parking lot when you got here?"

"Yeah, but no one was in them. Did you see anyone around?"

"No, which concerns me. We'll just have to keep an eye out. The paparazzi are already here. Edward spotted some yesterday when we were on our way to Charlie's for dinner."

"Oh, no! What happened?"

"Nothing, actually. Edward said he never saw anyone at Charlie's, just when we were driving through town. So they gotta be around here somewhere. They know Edward is here, courtesy of Lauren," I said with disgust. "So now they will seek me out and hope to catch some good shots of the two of us together."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I'm nervous, but its here in my bar on my territory. I am in control here. It's not like I'm being ambushed on the street corner."

"But that could happen," Angela pointed out.

"Yes, but I'd rather my first direct interaction with the paparazzi be on my turf. Let them come. Let them see how much Edward and I love each other. Most importantly, let _Tanya_ see everything that she doesn't have."

"Oooo, vengeful much?"

"I think it's deserved. She's done a lot to try to undermine our relationship. She needs this wakeup call. I'm not imaginary. I am real, and I'm here to stay."

"Wow, go Bella!" Angela enthused. "I like this strength in you."

I shrugged. "I've always been a fighter, Angela. You know this. Otherwise, I never would've tried to buy the bar. I would've let other's doubts bring me down."

"Even so, give 'em hell."

"Oh I will, Edward especially. He won't know what hit him when he sees what I'm wearing tonight."

"Do tell."

I handed Angela my bag. She quickly pulled out my blue BCBG Max Azaria dress and whistled.

"Holy shit, Bella. This dress is hot! I've never seen you wear anything like this before."

"Alice helped pick it out when I went shopping with her on Monday."

"Damn, was that really only Monday?" she asked in disbelief.

"I know, right? I can't believe that so much has changed since last weekend. Seems like a whole other lifetime," I mused.

"Life has definitely become more exciting since Edward came into your life."

"Truer words have not been said," I replied with a laugh. "Alright, let's get back out there and get this show started."

As soon as our "Open" neon sign was lit, people started coming in. Fridays were usually fairly busy, but since it was a holiday weekend, there were more people out and about. However, there was a sprinkling of people I had never seen before. As people came in, I tried to look for any sign that someone was a paparazzo but since I really didn't know what I was looking for, I wasn't very successful in making any solid determinations. I noticed that the majority of the people that came rushing in were harried looking married men who shuddered anytime anyone mentioned "Black Friday."

The phrase "Shop till you drop" was coined for the husbands.

Something else new for this particular Friday was my lack of anonymity. My identity as Edward's girlfriend was no longer a secret. By now, the Internet was rife with rumors and blogs and posts about Edward and me. There wasn't any photo confirmation of us together yet, but Lauren's "eye-witness" account was quoted and plastered all over the Internet. It didn't hurt her case that she had a picture of herself with the autographed copy of the tabloid magazine. And, somehow -and this somehow I believed was also named Lauren- the celebrity entertainment sites got copies of my high school year book pictures and a few pictures of me in college.

After tonight, I was sure they'd have photographic proof of our relationship. And as I told Angela, I really didn't mind as much as I thought I would. I knew it was coming and it was on my own turf. Let them come. I only hoped I would have this much courage if they found me on the street or in the middle of the grocery store.

Between the pictures and the fact that Lauren had the audacity to identify where I worked, the new people here knew who I was, and they knew who I was involved with. I was asked questions all afternoon long about Edward. At first it was cool, but now, it was getting annoying. I was expecting to be hassled by the paparazzi, not my patrons. Someone would want my picture and would ask a few questions about how we met and what he was really like in person. After about the twentieth person who asked me if he was a good kisser, I was ready to start busting heads together.

Angela could see I was quickly losing my patience as we got closer to the start of Happy Hour. She pulled me aside and told me to go have a breather in my office for a few. I was glad for the break. I was seriously about to blow up on a patron. I took the time to check the voicemail, which consisted of yet more requests for information and interviews. After deleting most of them, I tried to think of a good way to keep most of the questions from patrons at bay. Most people were polite, but not all. I wondered if some of the people at the bar were paps after all, just not packing video cameras, but mere camera phones.

Putting a sign up telling people not to ask about Edward was just too trite. My mind whirled with ways to politely tell paying customers to butt out of my personal life. A few pictures were one thing, intrusive questions were something else. Mentally telling myself that they weren't going to get the best of me, I walked back out to the bar. The crowd had increased slightly, but that was normal. Angela looked over at me and I nodded, letting her know I had reigned in my temper.

Ten minutes hadn't gone by before someone at the bar started asking me more questions than what type beer we had on tap.

"Hey there, you're Bella, right? The owner of this place?" a guy asked as I walked past him. I shot him a look while I gave the drinks I was holding to a patron. As I walked back toward him, I noticed that he had a small tape recorder cupped into his hand, like he was trying to hide it.

"Yes, I'm the owner of the Midnight Sun. Can I get you something to drink?" I placed a napkin down in front of him.

"Water will be fine, thanks. I wanted to ask you a few questions," he started.

I grimaced when he asked for water. "Well, as you can see, I'm pretty busy, so I don't have time to answer a bunch of questions."

The man was undeterred. He leaned forward, pushing the recorder he thought I couldn't see, closer to me. "It's just a few questions. It won't take long at all," he said with a smile - a smile I'm sure he thought was going to win me over. He was wrong.

I brought his glass of water over to him and _accidentally_ spilled it all over his hands. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sir. I have no idea what happened!" I gushed. I grabbed a few bar towels and started blotting the spill as the man's smile quickly turned to irritated anger.

"You dumb bitch," he hissed as he tried to keep as much of the water from his recorder as he could. Unfortunately for him, the water made his hands slick and the recorder slipped out of his hands, landing on the bar top with a wet clatter.

"Excuse me?" I spat. I immediately stopped trying to clean up the spill and threw the bar towels at his hands. He fumbled through them, trying to find his recorder in the wet, sopping mess. I scooped it up before he could find it.

"You heard me!" He started to get up but was kept in his stool by a large, russet-skinned hand.

"What I think we didn't hear was an apology," Jacob drawled, his tone friendly but his expression fierce.

"For what?" he sputtered.

I leaned over the bar and poked him in the chest with my index finger as I spoke. "You think you can come into my bar and expect me to drop everything so you can ask a few questions, and then try to record me secretly? I don't think so." I tossed the ruined tape recorder at him. "Jacob, see him out."

"Gladly," he said with pleasure. He not so gently picked up the man by the back of his shirt and led him towards the door.

A few of the nearby patrons clapped and cheered as the unwelcome guest was seen to the door. I shook my head and finished cleaning up the mess. It felt good to tell the man off. It took the power that he thought he had from him. This was my bar, my place. No one was going to make me do something I didn't want to do here.

Shortly after Jacob took the trash out, Edward texted me that he was here and wasn't alone. I was quite curious about who he had brought with him. He hadn't said anything about bringing anyone to play with him. I certainly didn't have a problem with it.

My first glimpse of Edward came a few minutes later as he wheeled in a stack of speakers. He had his very recognizable bronze hair under a ball cap. It was amazing how something as minor as a baseball cap could help hide his identity. If someone looked at him directly, he could be recognized, but the hat definitely helped him blend in. The guys came in after Edward, each laden with equipment. They all appeared to be around his age. I caught Jessica's gaze from across the room, her face bright with excitement.

It was kind of exciting to watch Edward like this. This was my first real glimpse of him as Edward Cullen the performer. He was wearing the same clothes that he'd left the house in, but something about him looked different. There was a lightness to his step that I had never seen before.

I caught his eye a few times and couldn't fight the huge smile that bloomed the moment our eyes met. To a casual observer, it would only look like two strangers flirting with one another. Nothing we had done thus far revealed the depth of our relationship. It was kind of like going somewhere with your significant other, pretending that you didn't know one another and trying to pick one another up. I wasn't the only person who was admiring Edward and his band mates. Many of the women in the bar openly ogled the quartet, whispering when one of the guys bent over. I had to admit, it _was_ a mighty fine view.

I didn't think anyone recognized Edward yet, but it was only a matter of time. A few people looked back and forth between Edward and I, perhaps due to the looks we were sharing between us. Or, perhaps they recognized Edward after all. The people didn't look familiar, and my gut was telling me that they were either working for some media company or were members of the paparazzi. I made a mental note to keep an eye on them. As long as they behaved themselves, they were welcome to stick around. The moment that they started acting like the jerk from earlier, they'd be seeing the door.

The set up that Edward and his friends were putting together was impressive. It was a far cry from the single person acoustic set I was expecting. One of the guys was putting together a very well made drum kit, especially when compared to some of the local groups that played around the area. He was wearing a cowboy hat, which almost slipped off a few times as he adjusted the tension on one of the drum heads. One of the other guys, who had short brown hair and a goatee, was setting up the electronics on the side of the stage. The last guy was tall and blond, and worked quietly tuning up the guitars. Edward was running around the stage plugging in cables and taping set lists to the floor. If I hadn't already known that Edward and his friends weren't a regular band, I wouldn't have been able to tell. They worked together like a well-oiled machine. There was some level of familiarity, especially between Edward and the blond. I wondered where Edward knew them from but figured he'd tell me at some point tonight.

Eventually, my attention was diverted by drink requests, and I quickly returned to work. A few more people asked about my relationship, but I did a lot better this time around. Having told off that nosy jerk gave me the courage and confidence to keep my head up. If someone asked a personal question and I didn't want to answer it, I rebuffed them or just ignored them. People slowly got the hint and the questions lessened, but the camera flashes didn't. Patrons were taking numerous photos of me and the bar. An increasing number of people congregated around the stage, taking pictures of the operations.

I turned away to fill more drink orders and when I looked back, Edward and his friends were standing at the bar. Edward looked so happy. He was beaming as he talked, leaning against the bar. I grabbed a handful of cocktail napkins and greeted the group. Edward's response, while simple, was rather familiar and had the same affect as peeing on my leg. I didn't mind so much, especially based on how one of the guys was looking at me. I got their drink orders and was introduced to everyone. It was great to finally meet the Garrett that I had heard so much about from Edward. I walked over to Edward and settled happily into his side. It felt wonderful to feel Edward's arms around me, even if it had only been a few hours since I last felt his touch.

We chatted for a few minutes and I got a feel for Edward's friends. It was evident that they were all from the south based on their twangs. I instantly liked Garrett and Rhys. Collin seemed okay. He laid off the undressing-with-the-eyes bit, for which I was quite thankful. It was nice to know that other men found me attractive, but his gaze was a little much for me. Later, after I had gone back to work behind the bar, I realized I liked Rhys even more when I saw him back Edward up when Collin tried to talk Edward into doing shots with them. I was on the other side of the bar, so I couldn't hear everything that was said, but I was proud of Edward for sticking to his guns.

The other bartender had things under control so I slipped away to my office to change. Pulling the dress out of my bag, I ran my hands gently across the soft fabric. It was luxurious and smooth, the silk sliding gently across my skin. I had always been a bit of a tomboy so wearing dresses, especially ones as small and sexy as this one, was a rare occurrence. I felt a little exposed but I couldn't wait to see Edward's reaction. I knew it would be worth the money I spent. As I finished up the final touches of my make-up and hair, I heard the boys tuning up on stage. I ran a brush through my hair one final time before I stepped out onto the floor of the bar.

Right as I was approaching the bar, Edward introduced himself Johnny Cash style. The moment his name left his lips, a gasp went through the crowd. Cell phones whipped out all across the bar as people texted their friends with the news.

_It's going to get crazy around here now._

I looked up at the stage and caught Edward looking me up and down with a hungry gaze. My smile turned to a smug smirk as his eyes lingered on my chest and my legs. _Oh yes, this dress was a great idea._ Edward nodded his head quickly and said one last thing to the crowd around the stage before beginning the show.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Edward was on fire on the stage. His velvety voice took on new dimensions as he sang and played his guitar. Several times, I saw him close his eyes as he got into the music. Energy surrounded him and poured into the bar. Everyone could feel it. This was such a far cry from the broken man I'd met months ago.

People continued to flood into the Midnight Sun; so much so that Jacob had to keep people out before we violated our occupancy limit. Despite all of that, all I could see was Edward. His energy was like a magnet. I couldn't help but watch him. Every time he stroked his guitar, I thought about how his hands felt on me. Then I would catch myself running my hands across the fabric of my dress, imagining him touching me. Work would occasionally distract me from watching him. This was probably a good thing. If I had no distraction from Edward, I probably would have jumped him on the stage and really given the people a show.

Before I knew it, the guys were taking a break, and I was given a momentary reprieve from my lusting over Edward. Edward disappeared into the crowd. Despite his height, I could not find him in the mass of people. I almost jumped out of my skin when I felt arms wrapping around me from behind, but Edward's familiar scent calmed me instantly. Feeling his lips on my bare shoulders put my brain back in the gutter. His name floated from my lips like a prayer as I turned in his arms. I was incredibly happy being held by him but also incredibly nervous about the number of witnesses with camera phones around us.

Edward brushed aside my worries about the paparazzi and complimented me on my dress. I blushed as I always did, but his comments also made me feel incredibly sexy. He pulled me closer to him and whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver.

"As much as I love seeing you in it, I can't wait to see you out of it."

Before I could even come up with an appropriate response outside of a gasp, he had my face in his hands and was kissing me. This wasn't the chaste peck from before, but something more, a promise of what was to come later. As much as I loved hearing and watching Edward play on stage, now I couldn't wait until it was over. I heard people whispering around us as he kissed me and cameras flashing, but I didn't care. We didn't care. We were already considered _out_ to the general public. Now that they had proof of our relationship, maybe they would let up a little. I could hope anyway.

Edward pulled away from me before we became obscene. There were lingering glances in our direction, but the people nearest to us were trying to give us privacy. Strangely enough, despite my fear of becoming paparazzi fodder, I didn't care about the stares and the whispers and the cameras. Being in my place gave me a certain amount of control that I was sure was why I felt so at ease. A part of me feared what would happen outside of the bar. I tried not to think about it too much.

Edward made his way back up to the stage, with Jacob escorting him, after we quickly mouthed 'I love yous' to one another. I watched in amazement as people tried to reach out and touch him. People would never act like this with a complete stranger, but because he was well known, people assumed that they knew him and felt like they could intrude on his personal space. It pissed me off a little bit, but Edward seemed to be unfazed by it all. I laughed to myself when I saw several of the female fans in the audience try to entice him with their cleavage. He walked by them like they weren't even there.

Everyone quieted down as Edward and his band mates returned to the stage. There was still a good amount of cheering, but people were eager to hear the rest of the concert. Jessica was one of the people right up front, just as she was for the first part of the show. She was still technically on the clock, but I'd given her a pass since this concert was for her. She looked like she was having the time of her life. Jessica never would have gotten as close to the stage at the Odeon as she was here.

Edward started out the second half of the concert by introducing the band. Instead of just being four separate individuals thrown together for this concert, they actually looked like a band, a cohesive unit that had all appearances of having played together for some time. I remembered Edward telling me that he and Garret used to play together, but I knew it had been some time since they'd seen one another. Was it possible that they'd found that connection again so soon? If tonight was any indication, it was.

Their first song of the second set was familiar. I wasn't expecting to hear them do a cover of _Brother,_ but it sounded great. Edward was a master on the guitar and started out on the guitar intro with ease. It was something awesome to watch, to see him lose himself in the music. Although there were three other people on stage with him, I only saw Edward. When he sang, he cradled the microphone like it was a treasured gift. The lyrics seemed to be perfect for where he was in his life at this moment.

As the song ended, the bar burst into applause and cheers. Clearly, the band's cover was a hit. They switched gears after that and played some of Edward's acoustic music. This was the part of Edward I was more familiar with seeing. Granted, it was still different with him on stage than just him playing on my deck, but it was still familiar. He poured his heart and soul into his performance. The audience ate it up, and the crowd started singing along with him. Once he realized what was happening, I swore I saw his eyes get watery. I knew I had tears in my eyes when he looked at me with a soft, but very happy, smile on his face.

The band eventually moved back to Edward's rock standards. The crowd had no problems with that whatsoever and continued to cheer them on as they played. I was surprised when Edward introduced their final song as a new one. I didn't realize he had written anything new during the week. With the craziness of this past week, between our reunion on Monday and the holiday, it didn't seem like much time to come up with anything.

The moment the song started, I was dumbstruck. The music was incredibly powerful and intense. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the bar, staring at Edward as he stroked down the neck of the guitar. Instantly my mind traveled back to Monday night and what his hands did to me. Once again, I could not wait for the concert to over. He looked over at me, and his eyes were dark and dangerous. Only a small amount of self-control kept me from rushing up on stage and jumping him. The combination of him and the song were incredibly arousing. I found my body reacting to the music and Edward's body language.

He prowled around the stage like a caged animal. His hands were on fire as they flew across the guitar, making the instrument scream with pleasure. His solo was amazing. I had never seen a guitarist's fingers move that fast. I could not keep my eyes off of him. He approached the microphone with an animalistic intensity and stared at me as he sang.

_And I want you now  
I want you now  
I feel my heart implode  
And I'm breaking out  
Escaping now  
Feeling my faith erode_

That said it all. Before I knew what was happening, Edward threw his guitar at Garrett and stormed off the stage like a man possessed. The energy that had been building in the room between Edward and I was making my nerves stand on end. I was literally quivering from the adrenaline running rampant through my body. As soon as Edward called my name, I finally let go of my restraint and threw myself at him.

I'd never been this forward with him before, especially not in public. My lips latched onto his as my hands twisted into his hair, sweaty from the stage. Everyone around us was cheering, and I didn't have the decency to be embarrassed.

"Office," I growled at Edward, his lips grazing mine. "Now."

He did not hesitate and quickly turned us towards my office and the hopes of some shred of privacy. I walked as quickly as I was able to in the heels I was wearing. These kinds of shoes just were not meant for power walking.

Once we passed the threshold of my office, Edward's hands were all over me, touching my arms, my back, running across my stomach and down my sides. My nerves danced with anticipation. Before anyone could get a free show, I flung the door shut and locked it. The noise from the bar became instantly muffled, barely loud enough to cover the noise we were making. Edward pulled my back against his chest as he bent his head down to kiss my shoulder and the crook of my neck. His warm, inviting scent that was all Edward surrounded me. I tilted my neck to the side as his lips continued a trail up the side of my neck to my ear. As soon as his lips touched the flesh of my ear, I moaned.

"Sweet Jesus, Edward," I whispered.

I reached behind me and threaded my hands in his hair once again. His hair was still a little damp with sweat from the bright lights of the stage, but I didn't' care.

It felt like the pressure in the room was increasing. All I knew was that I couldn't get enough of this man. His touch set me on fire, a spiraling inferno of love and desire and lust. I whirled in his arms and roughly pushed Edward against the far wall of my small office.

Edward's eyes nearly popped out of his head in surprise before his face split into a slow, sexy smile. Before he could do anything further, I attacked him. My lips crushed against his, barely letting him react and start to kiss me back before I deepened the kiss and roughly fisted my hands in his hair. There was still a lingering taste of beer and something uniquely Edward. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, one hand spanning my back while the other cradled the back of my head as he returned my passion with vigor.

Music came through the walls again as Garrett and the other guys kept playing without Edward. "Do you need to get out there?" I panted as Edward peppered my shoulders and collarbone with his soft lips, searing my skin.

"No," he uttered roughly. "Our set was done. They are just playing for the hell of it."

"Good. I love you, Edward," I whispered urgently as I tightened my legs around his waist, bringing him that much closer to my body. My hands clasped behind his head and played with the hairs at the nape of his neck.

"I love you too, Bella, so fucking much."

Edward and I expressed our love for each other in the only way that a man and a woman could. We brought each other to up to the cusp and over, sharing with each other our most intimate selves. Coming down from our highs, we panted in each other's arms, our hearts beating wildly.

"Is it always going to be like this?" he gasped.

"God, I hope so," I replied, panting.

I jumped, almost knocking my forehead into Edward's jaw when someone knocked softly on my office door.

"What the hell," I muttered.

I slid off the desk and tried to straighten my dress while Edward pulled his pants up and fastened his buckle. His shirt looked rumpled, but passable. My dress was horribly wrinkled, and my hair was a haystack from being pressed against the wall.

"Shit, look at me," I fussed.

Edward smiled down at me affectionately. "You look like you just had sex in your office," he teased quietly. Garrett, Collin, and Rhys could still be heard faintly in the background.

I glared at him as looked around the room for my panties. The person at the door knocked again, a little louder this time, reminding us that someone was waiting. I huffed and scooped up my discarded underwear.

"Can you find out who is there? I am going to step into the bathroom and try to clean up a bit." I grabbed the bag I had brought with me earlier in the day and gave Edward a quick peck on the lips.

"Sure, love."

I closed the door to the small bathroom just as Edward was opening the door to the office. I caught a glimpse of Jake's face before the door was completely shut. He looked amused, but concerned. As I cleaned up and changed into my other clothes, I could hear their voices, but I was unable to make out specific words. I really wanted to take a shower, but that would have to wait until we got home. Freshening the important parts while I had the chance would be sufficient. Taking one last look at myself in the mirror with my hair fixed and a change of clothes, I could barely tell that Edward and I had just christened my office.

When I stepped out, Jake was still in the room, but it looked like the conversation was just wrapping up. "Hey, Jake," I greeted warmly, even though I had seen him throughout the night.

"Hey, B," he replied with a smirk. He knew exactly what we were up to in here. "I'll be right outside when you guys are ready to head out." He nodded briefly to Edward and walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"What's going on?" I asked, setting my bag on my desk.

Edward smiled at me softly as he ran his hands through his hair a little rougher than normal. There was a tightness around his eyes as well that concerned me.

"There were some overzealous paps in the audience who tried to follow us in here and record us. Jake stood guard by the door to keep anyone from interrupting us."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad Jake was able to- Wait, if he stood by the door than he heard everything!" My face blossomed red in embarrassment. The last thing I was sure Jake wanted to overhear was Edward and I having sex.

Edward laughed as he pulled me into his arms. "Nah, he didn't hear anything. He had ear plugs in while he stood watch. He guessed what we'd be doing based on how we left the bar floor, so he came prepared."

"Wow. I owe him," I murmured, winding my arms around his neck.

"He's a good guy," Edward commented.

"Yeah, he is. So what's he doing now?"

"He's waiting for us. He wants to make sure we won't get ambushed on the way back to the bar."

I nodded while I dug through my bag for my cell phone. I had no idea what time it was or how long we had been back in my office. When I finally found it, I was surprised at how early it was.

"It's not even one in the morning yet."

"I know," Edward said as he rubbed my back. "We've only been back here for about twenty minutes."

I stared at him. "We did all of that in twenty minutes?"

He chuckled with a satisfied grin on his face. "We sure did."

"Wow." I was impressed with not only my stamina, but his.

"Yeah," he agreed as his grin grew bigger.

"Okay, time to face the music," I said, rounding my shoulders and preparing for the onslaught.

When I opened the office door, the noise from the bar was the first thing to hit us. Jake stood about three feet in front of the door, his back facing us. When I shut the door, Jake nodded and walked towards the bar. Edward and I quickly followed behind with our hands clasped. The moment we passed the threshold to the bar floor, I was blinded by a series of bright camera flashes, one right after another. People were yelling, calling my name and Edward's. Jake tried to block anyone from getting too close, hollering for the police back-up to come and help.

I cowered next to Edward, clinging to him desperately as he stood stiffly beside me. The camera flashes effectively blinded me so I couldn't see anything or anyone. He had done his best to shield his eyes, but I didn't think he was much better off than I was. Thankfully, the police back-up came quickly and escorted the paparazzi out the door before they could do any more damage.

As suddenly as the barrage started, it ended. I blinked a few times as my vision finally cleared. A few people looked over at us sympathetically but most were still listening to Garrett and the boys play on stage. The experience was surprising, but tolerable. I wasn't so foolish as to assume that this was the worst it could be, although I could always hope. I started to move towards the bar but stopped when I noticed Edward wasn't moving with me.

"Baby, come on."

He stood in the same spot he was in when the ambush started, his shoulders stiff, his brow set, and his gaze on the floor.

"What is it, sweetheart?" I asked quietly, walking back toward his unmovable form.

"I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop," he whispered, still not looking at me.

I reached out and pushed his chin up with the tip of my finger so I could look him in the eye. "What other shoe?"

"When you realize how insane it is to have to deal with the paparazzi and that you don't want to deal with it anymore and leave me," Edward whispered in the same soft but strained voice.

"Edward, you silly man, I am not going anywhere. Yes, it was startling, and I'm sure the next few days will be interesting with all the stories that are going to be out, but it's okay."

He looked at me in disbelief. "How can you think this is okay?"

"Because now we are real. Now I am real. The rumors before of me being your fake made-up girlfriend have effectively been nullified. With the number of times we've kissed one another in full view of everyone, there is no doubt that I am real, and our relationship is not fake."

"But, it's so intrusive," he argued.

"Yes, it is, but they are at my bar where I get to call the shots. It'll be okay."

"What about later, when you aren't at the bar?" he asked quietly, the full extent of his fear weighing heavily in his words. I realized then that he truly thought I would up and leave him one day because of the paparazzi.

"I can't promise you that it won't bother me, Edward, because it probably will. But I can promise you that I am not going anywhere. We are together. We'll face it together, even when we are apart."

He looked at me dubiously.

"Edward, you have to believe me; otherwise there is no chance for us if you are constantly expecting me to leave."

He closed his eyes and his shoulders dropped in defeat. "I know, it's just so…" he trailed off without finishing his thoughts.

"I know, Edward. I am only beginning to get a glimpse of what you have had to deal with for years. Now, though, we have each other. We'll help one another and protect one another."

I tried tugging on his hand again and finally he started to follow me out to the bar. I breathed a sigh of relief and hoped that I won't have to eat my words one day.

**A/N Thanks for your patience! I promise, I will be adhering to my new update schedule. The next chapter will be up on or about August 13****th****. I have already started it. **

**As always, teasers for the next chapter will be given with reviews. I also post a second teaser in the thread on Twilighted. Come join us in the thread for BFTO: www(dot)twilighted(dot)net/forum/viewtopic(dot)php?f=44&t=9524 (replace the 'dot' with .)**

**I have also started writing weekly picture prompts on a blog with some other great authors here in ficdom. If you want to read them, you can find them off of my FF profile or stop at the blog to see the other submissions as well: picprompt(dot)blogspot(dot)com**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N *Peeks in, flicks a flashlight back and forth, walks in and shakes off the dust.* Hiiii! Miss me? Yes, it has been forever and I am really sorry about the delay. I meant to only take a few weeks off after I graduated from college in October and it went much longer then that. Never fear, this story is far from over and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Special thanks to my WC girls and to HEAR and Sweetishbubble, my two awesome PTB betas who make my drivel make sense and who both also give their approval on the small bit of lemony goodness in the middle of the chapter… unfortunately the lemon has been edited out of this version due to the T rating but it is available in all its glory in the outtakes of this story.**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Leavin' on a Jet Plane**

**BPOV**

The rest of the night went by fairly smoothly. After Edward got over his fear of the paps, he went back into my office to clean up. As much as I liked to see him tousled-looking after being with me, who really wanted to walk around in the clothes that they just shagged somebody in without at least washing up first?

After we headed out of my office, Garret and his boys played for a little bit longer to an adoring crowd. The patrons of the bar didn't fawn over them quite like they had for Edward, but it was a close second. When everyone was sitting at the bar before last call, a throng of women surrounded Garrett, Collin, and Rhys. Garrett remained a little aloof from all the feminine attention, but Collin and Rhys ate it up. Edward made a comment to me at one point about Garrett having someone back home.

The crowd in the bar stayed longer than usual for a Friday night. I actually had to encourage people to head out to other places after last call. The adage 'you don't have to go home but you can't stay here' applied tonight. Edward helped Garrett and the guys pack up their equipment and stow it in their van out back. Before they left, Edward spoke with Garrett briefly, making arrangements for the equipment that Edward rented from Guitar Center. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed with Edward when he told me about his deal with Guitar Center.

Throughout the night, Jessica hovered around Edward as a way of saying thanks for the concert. As soon as his beer was empty, she had another cold one in its place. Much to Edward's visible relief, she didn't hang on him like a lost puppy, but merely made sure he was well taken care of. Thankfully, there wasn't much time between the end of his concert and the bar's closing for him to drink much. If he had drank much more I would have become concerned, but he was still quite mindful of what he was drinking and how much. He did not want to go down the same road he'd been on around the time we'd met that had brought him so low.

The last of the stragglers made their way out and I happily locked the front door and flicked off the neon 'open' sign. I sagged against the wall, exhausted. Today had been a long but very good day. My feet hurt and I really wanted to take a shower. Edward must've felt the same, as he came and slouched against the wall next to me.

"Ready to go?" he asked softly, running his fingers across my hand.

"Yeah, I just needed to rest a moment. It's been a crazy day."

"It has been," he agreed.

We stayed there for several minutes, just enjoying each other's company in the quiet of the late evening. With a resigned sigh, I pushed off the wall and walked to the bar to finish cleaning up for the night. Edward followed behind me quietly, lost in his thoughts.

It didn't take very long for the cleanup to be finished. Despite the record crowd, the bar didn't get very messy. As I drained the coolers and wiped surfaces down, Angela stood off to the side and reconciled the cash and credit card receipts for deposit. Edward put the chairs up on the tables and swept the floor while Jacob spoke quietly to the off-duty police officers as they waited to escort everyone to their vehicles. As much as I thought I could handle the paparazzi around here, I was glad for the extra police presence.

Finally we were all ready and gathered up our things to leave. The moment we walked outside, cameras began to flash and people were yelling. Edward instantly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to protect me from them. Jacob started yelling back at the photographers while trying to shield Angela. The police escort was also yelling and tried to block any potential shots. It appeared that the paps had been hiding in some of the bushes, waiting for the right moment to get the perfect angle. Angela didn't say anything as the commotion went on; she just stared wide-eyed at the chaos surrounding us.

"I want them off my property!" I yelled angrily as I blinked back furious tears.

The cops nodded and quickly approached the small group of photographs as they continued to yell at them, advising them to leave or get arrested. Most of the photographers took the hint and took off. A few more rabid paps tried to give the cops the run around, moving evasively about the parking lot while continuing to take pictures of us. Jake took off with the cops to try to help them round up the paparazzi.

By this time, Edward had escorted me to my truck with Angela in tow. Angela's eyes were huge as she watched Jake and the cops. Her face was pale and her hands shook slightly. I wiggled out of Edward's grasp to touch Angela's arm.

"Ang, are you okay?"

Angela continued to stare out into the parking lot, like she didn't hear me. I gently shook her arm as I called her name again. She blinked a few times before turning to focus on Edward and me.

"This is what you have to go through all the time?" Angela asked Edward, her voice shaking.

Edward nodded solemnly.

"How do you deal with this?" she whispered.

He shrugged and looked down at me briefly before answering. "I'm not sure. I just do. I just keep my head down and don't let them get to me. I don't like it, but they are going to try to get their pictures regardless of what I want, so I just try not to let it bother me."

"Look at me, Angela," I said quietly. Her gaze lowered from Edward's face to mine. "It'll be okay. Once Edward goes back to LA, things will calm down here again. Plus, you have Jake to help protect you."

Angela shook her head and watched as the last of the paps got chased away.

"Things will never be the same, Bella."

x-x-x-x-x-x

The drive home was quiet. Angela's words would not leave me alone. I knew my life had been irrevocably changed but what about the people in my life? They hadn't asked for this. When I agreed to try to build a relationship with Edward, I had an idea of what could happen. But did Angela? She knew about Edward, and I'm sure she realized that the paparazzi were going to be an issue at the bar, but did she really have any idea of what it would be like? Perhaps she was just startled from it being her first real experience with the paparazzi. It was pretty overwhelming for me too, but I was expecting something to happen. The media sharks were rabid enough to find out who I was and where Edward was, no thanks to Lauren's help.

I couldn't help but think back to how different last Friday was. _Had all this happened in just a week? Sweet Jesus. _It certainly felt like more time had passed than just one week.

Edward's face was pensive as he stared into the night. I took his hand in mine and gave him a reassuring squeeze as I drove. Knowing him, he was over-thinking everything again.

Just as we were pulling into my driveway, bright lights burst forth from both sides of my truck. The light blinded me and I stopped the truck abruptly, skidding slightly on the gravel. I quickly released Edward's hand and kept both of mine tight around the steering wheel as I tried to figure out what was going on.

"What the hell?" I said, whipping my head around to try to see.

"Looks like the paparazzi were waiting for us here, too," Edward said with resignation, leaning his head against the headrest of his seat and throwing his arm above his head, partially blocking his face from the eager photographers.

The flashes were coming with such speed it was like daylight in the cab of my truck. I heard voices outside, calling out to Edward and me. Groaning in frustration, I laid on the horn and tried to get enough people out of the way so we could advance to the gate where the code box waited. None of the stalkerazzi moved. I wanted to try to inch the truck up the driveway but was afraid I'd hit someone. A few thuds reverberated through the body of my truck as someone actually got ballsy enough to touch my vehicle.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered and undid my seatbelt so I could get out of the cab.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked incredulously, turning towards me and grabbing my hands.

"I'm going to talk to them. If they want is a picture so bad, then they can have one and then go away."

"It's not that simple, Bella."

"You said yourself to Angela that they are going to take our photo whether we want them to or not, right?"

"Yeah," he replied softly. Edward's face was illuminated again by the flashes of the cameras. His brows were furrowed in concern. The harsh lights of the flashes emphasized the creases, making his face look carved in worry.

"Well, by not doing anything, we are allowing them to be in control of the situation. If we go out there and allow them to have a few pictures, we are in control. We can't be overwhelmed if we are in control, right?"

"In a simpler world, possibly, but it can easily get out of control," Edward insisted. "Some photographers may be happy with a few posed photos, but for most of them? Nothing is ever enough. Sure, they'll be happy to take any photos that are offered, but they will want more. Maybe not tonight or even tomorrow, but they will be back. They will want _exclusive_ photos, _private_ photos, the kind of photos that really pay out. By giving them an opportunity tonight, we'd only be fueling the fire."

I leaned my head against the headrest of the seat with a defeated sigh, closing my eyes against the flashes. There was no winning against this. "So what now?"

Edward released my hands and looked like he was about to respond when sirens blared and bright blue and red lights eclipsed the never-ending camera flashes. Two squad cars pulled up behind my truck, causing some of the photographers to scatter into the shoulder of the road. The smarter ones retreated back to their cars, parked on the other side of the road, partially hidden by shrubs. Only with the harsh lights of the photographers' cameras were the cars even visible. The more tenacious paparazzi hovered by my truck, snapping every shot they could.

The front doors on the police cars swung open and four officers emerged. I easily recognized them all, especially the oldest of the four who was wearing a fierce look on his face as he strode forward towards my truck.

"Charlie's here," I whispered, a little unsure of what his reaction to all of this would be. He seemed cool about Edward yesterday when we came clean about his identity, but would he be cool about this?

A few of the photographers somehow knew who Charlie was and a few of them began yelling to one another to try to get shots of "Papa Bear," like this was a game or something. That made my blood boil.

"Those assholes think this is a game," I muttered darkly as my hands clenched around the steering wheel.

Charlie's gruff voice cut through the shouts of the paparazzi, "You're on private property! Get out of here before I arrest the whole lot of you!"

Edward only nodded as he looked around, watching the cops spread out to deflect the photographers. All four had their nightsticks out. The other three cops' voices joined with Charlie, advising the remaining trespassers to leave. Most of the photographers were standing by their cars, snapping a few pictures but not crossing onto my property again. As my father came up to my window, the other three cops chased the stragglers away.

I rolled my window down and Charlie popped his head in quickly. "You alright, Bells?" His brown eyes, so similar to mine, were wide with concern as they flicked across me and Edward making sure we weren't hurt.

Nodding, I looked over at Edward who shrugged and propped his head against his hand, against the sill of the window. A camera flash from very close went off, temporarily blinding us. I was barely able to see, but Charlie had already spun around and chased the sneaky photographer away.

The overweight photographer didn't stand a chance against the very fit chief of police. Charlie grabbed the man who was about to spend a lonely night in jail by the back of his shirt and threw him to the ground, the gravel digging into the man's corpulent body. The paparazzo's camera went clattering against the stones, something snapping along the way. The man cursed loudly but didn't struggle as Charlie yanked his arms behind him and handcuffed him.

"You're gonna pay for that, asshole!" the photographer yelled as Charlie hauled him up and dragged him to the squad car.

"Nah, I don't think so, princess. You're trespassing and I'm not the one who dropped your camera. Oh, and by the way, you're under arrest." Charlie continued reading the disgruntled man his Miranda rights as he stuffed him in the backseat of the second police car. The other three officers were also handcuffing a few photographers who hadn't listened to their earlier declaration to leave.

Now that our path to the gate was finally clear, I inched the forward truck and hurriedly punched in the code at the code box. As soon as I heard the whirr of the gate, I hit the gas pedal and almost hit the gate in my rush to distance myself from the insanity we just went through. Charlie followed quickly behind us in the first squad car. The other cruiser stayed behind, backseat full of unhappy photographers, while the officers guarded the gate from anyone else from trying to trespass.

Back in the house, it almost seemed like things were back to normal, unless I was looking out my front window. I could still see the other police car and the occasional camera flash through the fence and the trees. The dirt and soil around the fence was still fresh from being installed earlier in the week. It almost seemed prophetic how Edward made sure the fence was put up so quickly, like he knew it would be needed tonight. I shuddered, thinking about how close the paparazzi would have been able to get without the fence.

Charlie, Edward, and I stood awkwardly around my kitchen table. Edward had been quiet ever since the paparazzi had ambushed us in my driveway. His reaction surprised me. He was used to this. It was almost like he was in shock. Yet here I was the person who wasn't used to it, seemingly not as affected by it as he was. Charlie was a different story. He was still in cop mode. He kept looking around the room, never quite relaxing, and not saying anything. The tension was getting to me.

"Would either of you like some coffee?" I asked as I reached for the canister of coffee from the cabinet.

Charlie's gaze jumped over to me, his expression slightly startled like he was deep in thought. "Um, sure, Bells, that would be great."

Edward shook his head and kept staring at nothing in particular.

Nodding, I quickly filled up the coffee maker with fresh water and coffee grounds. The task was a quick but mindless activity that I needed. This was a normal activity, something that wouldn't be impacted by the paparazzi or whatever other changes were going on. Once the machine started to brew, I turned back towards Edward and Charlie.

"You got that fence up just in time, Edward," Charlie commented.

Edward only nodded. His lack of speech was starting to irritate me. I knew he was freaking out about the paparazzi scaring me off, but his withdrawal was unnerving. Back in the bar, I told him I wasn't going anywhere and I meant it. Was seeing all the photographers in my driveway scary? Hell yes, but they weren't going to get the best of me.

Charlie had continued to talk to Edward while I was lost in my thoughts. Charlie wanted more details about how bad it could get and what Edward did in the past to deal with the paparazzi.

"I just slipped on a pair of sunglasses, kept my head down, and did my best to ignore them," Edward replied quietly, finally speaking for the first time since we exited my truck.

I took this as a perfect opportunity to continue to reassure Edward. "I can do that. It sounds easy enough."

"Plus I'll make sure there are regular patrols by the bar and your house, Bells," Charlie added. "And until things quiet down, you shouldn't leave the house or the bar alone."

Edward's head popped up as Charlie finished speaking, his eyes quickly locking with mine as he waited for my response.

I shook my head and closed my eyes briefly in an effort to calm myself. "Dad, I am not getting a bodyguard. I'll be fine. I don't go many places anyway to be worried about mobs of photographers."

"Bells-"

"Dad, no!" I said emphatically, standing up straight and folding my arms across my chest. "This is not open for discussion. Edward wanted me to get a bodyguard too, and I told him the same thing."

Charlie sighed and looked at Edward sympathetically. "She can be a stubborn handful, can't she?"

Edward smiled faintly. "Yes, but her stubborn strength is what she needs to deal with all this crap I've dragged into her life."

"Hello! I'm right here!" I announced, my voice rising as my irritation increased. _Talking about me like I wasn't even in the room._

"And you," I spat, whirling on Edward. His eyes widened in surprise. I poked his chest with my index finger, causing him to back up a step. "You didn't _dump_ anything into my life that I wasn't expecting. I willingly accepted what being in a relationship with you could entail." My voice softened as I continued, "Stop expecting me to leave and trust me; trust _us_."

Charlie cleared his throat as he fidgeted awkwardly. "Well kids, since you guys seem to be alright now, I'm going to head out. Plus the station is going to need help with all the bookings."

"At least stay until the coffee is ready, Dad," I insisted, turning from Edward towards my father.

Charlie sighed but nodded. He leaned against the wall nearest him and crossed his arms across his chest.

I turned back toward Edward who still looked a bit startled. I gave him a small smile and cupped his cheek. "I love you, silly man. The paparazzi are never going to make me stop loving you. It just isn't possible."

Edward reached out to me and pulled me into his chest. He gently wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head with his trademark half-smile. "Love you too, sweetheart."

Charlie cleared his throat again as the coffee pot pinged as it finished brewing. Regretfully, I pulled myself away from Edward's embrace and grabbed a travel mug for Charlie's coffee.

"What time are you heading out, Edward?" Charlie asked as I added cream and sugar to Charlie's coffee.

"In the afternoon. My flight leaves at 2:37."

"Direct flight?"

"Oh yeah. I try to avoid layovers if at all possible."

Charlie grunted and I handed him his coffee.

"Thank you, Dad, for coming out and helping us," I said softly.

Charlie's eyes softened as he stared into the top of his mug. "Of course, Bells. You're my baby girl. You may be all grown up now, but I can still look out for you."

I blushed and looked down at my fingers. Edward took this moment to step out of the room and give us some privacy.

"No matter how old I am, I'll always be your baby girl, Dad," I whispered.

Charlie didn't say anything, but I saw tears starting to form in his eyes. I smiled gently and hugged him carefully, mindful of his full mug of hot coffee.

"Love you, Bells."

"Love you too, Dad."

Charlie grunted again and headed towards the front door. Before walking across the threshold, he hollered a goodbye to Edward and smiled at me one more time. I gave a small wave and locked the door behind him. It appeared that a lot of the commotion at the front of our driveway had died down. The squad car lights were no longer flashing, and I didn't see any other cars indicating paparazzi presence. I hoped that the rest of the evening was as calm as the beginning of it was not.

Music was playing softly from my partially closed bedroom door. Before I went in, I shut the rest of the house down, turning off lights and putting away anything that was out. One last stop into the kitchen to turn off the coffee pot and I was on my way to my bedroom where I assumed Edward was waiting.

Quietly, walking on the balls of my sock-covered feet, I poked my head through my bedroom door. Edward was sprawled across my bed in his boxers and a t-shirt, totally engrossed in a book. A stray lock of hair hung over his forehead that I itched to brush back. I leaned against the doorframe and watched him read, totally fascinated by his facial expressions as he read. I was quite curious as to what book would hold his attention so closely. I didn't think he had brought any books with him, so it was probably one of the ones I had on my bedroom bookshelf. A quick glance over said bookshelf didn't reveal anything. It did not look like any particular book was missing.

Finally deciding I had watching him long enough, I walked further into the room and sat down next to him. "Whatcha reading?" I whispered as I finally pushed back that tantalizing lock of hair.

Edward looked up with a lazy smile as he put the book down. "I didn't even hear you come in. I'm reading _Dune_."

I arched an eyebrow at him. _Dune_ was not a book I thought he would ever get into. "Really? You never struck me as a science-fiction fan."

Edward scooted closer to me and ran his hands up and down my legs. "I like all kinds of books. It just depends on the mood I'm in. I've always wanted to read it, and I just happened to notice that you have a copy of it."

"Yeah, I have the whole series that Frank Herbert wrote, even some of the prequels that his son wrote." I tried to ignore the bolts of electricity that were shooting across my body from where his hands touched me.

"There's more?"

"Indeed. The universe that Herbert created could not be contained in just one book."

"Hmmm," Edward considered. "It looks like I have quite a bit of reading ahead of me."

He scooted even closer to me as he lay on his side. His scent began to wrap around me, making me think of some very non-literary things I wanted to do to him.

"Eh, I still think the first book is the best. The last few books get a little weird."

"I thought you liked weird," Edward teased, running his hands up my sides now.

"Depends on the type of weird," I whispered. My heart started to beat faster as his ministrations called to me.

"Hmmm, I think you like my kind of weird." Edward followed that statement with a kiss to the inside of my elbow. "And I think you are wearing far too many clothes."

I laughed and looked down at him. Edward had an amused expression on his face as one of his hands crept under my work t-shirt. "Oh really?"

He leaned up on an elbow and held my gaze. "Yes, really." His hand under my shirt managed to pop the clasp on my bra, making the front of my shirt puff out a bit.

"Well, since you put it that why, who am I to argue?" I mused as I slid off the bed. Edward's face looked eager, and he tried to fight the smile that was trying to erupt across it.

Smirking, I turned my back to him. Edward grumbled, mumbling something about not being able to see perfectly fine breasts. Feeling playful, I slowly stripped my shirt up and over my head. I swung it around a few times before I tossed it back, hoping it landed on him. A quick check confirmed that my t-shirt landed square on his head.

With a chuckle, I undid my pants and slipped them down my legs, taking my panties with them. Another peek at Edward revealed him watching my movements with avid interest. My shirt was still perched on his head, but he had moved it aside just far enough for one eye to follow me. I turned around and stood before the bed, wearing only my socks and a smile.

Edward's smile got wider as I walked the two steps to the edge of the mattress and crawled over to him. Slowly, I continued my path up his body until we were face to face. I gently raised my hand to his cheek. Edward's eyes closed in anticipation of my touch. The pads of my fingers were just millimeters from his skin, close enough that I could feel the heat emanating from his form. With a smirk and a snort, I reached up and snatched my t-shirt from his head.

"I think you'll want to be able to use both eyes for this."

Edward laughed and leaned over to kiss me, his lips soft but insistent. "Maybe you're right."

His hand brushed along my neck, settling at my nape, holding my head to him as his lips continued their work. His delicate touch at my neck and his lips on mine were enough to make me burn like it was our first time together again. Even though it had only been a few hours since we had been together in my office, my body still called to him.

Edward rolled over, pushing me down against the mattress, resting the weight of his body against mine. Slowly, his hand trailed from the back of my neck, down my body. My back arched as his hands awakened every nerve in my body.

My fingers inched up his chest, under his shirt. The taut planes of his stomach and chest shivered at my touch. "Now I think you are the one wearing too many clothes," I murmured, trailing a line of kisses down his jaw.

Edward grunted and reached a hand back to pull his shirt off, tossing it across the bedroom.

As we joined, I called out his name, not as shout or a yell but in exclamation, in celebration of our love. Edward followed soon after, his voice soft and gentle as my name passed his lips. We stayed together, limbs entangled, as we caught our breath. Of all the times we had made love during this week, this particular evening was different. There was a depth and an intensity that I had never experienced before. It brought me to tears.

"Bella, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Edward whispered, trying to wipe away my tears with his thumb.

"I don't know," I admitted hoarsely, gripping his sides tightly as I tried to get a hold of my emotions.

"Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head with a little snifflely laugh. "God no, far from it. It was just… so incredibly intense. It was so… I was just so…" I trailed off, at a loss as to how to describe what just transpired between us.

"Moving?" he supplied softly, brushing my hair out of my face.

I thought for a moment before I nodded. "Yes, I think that could describe it, but it doesn't seem like enough."

Edward's typical smirk came out as he continued, "How about special? Or transcendent? Or ethereal?"

"Or ass!" I playfully smacked his arm as he laughed. "Thanks for making fun of me, jerk off!" I teased

Edward rolled his eyes and kissed me gently on the lips. "I don't need to jerk off now, thanks."

"Such an ass," I declared as he rolled off of me.

Edward settled on his back, folding his arms behind his head. I wanted nothing more than to curl up into his side, but I had a much stronger desire to be clean. With everything that had gone on today, both good and bad, I really needed to decompress under the shower. I slid out of bed with a resigned sigh.

"I'm going to pop in the shower real quick, baby."

"Uh hmm," was the semi-coherent reply. Typical of men, Edward was quickly on his way to post-sex sleep.

I showered quickly, washing the make-up, styling products, and sweat from my body. My hands ran across my skin feeling all the spots that Edward had ravished throughout the night. A few areas were tender but it was a good kind of sore. I would have these bits of soreness as a reminder that Edward was truly real after he had gone back to LA.

I knew that the distance thing couldn't go on ad nauseum. At some point, one of us was going to have to give if our relationship was going to continue. I wasn't ready to make that call yet, and I doubted Edward was either. We had dealt with a good chunk of our initial issues but that didn't mean we were ready to make a more permanent arrangement or even compromise our careers.

I shook my head slightly as I got out of the shower to dispel the negative thoughts. I just experienced the most mind-blowing sexual experience of my life with the man that I loved more than I thought possible. It was practically a sin to think negative thoughts now. Just as I had done before, I would enjoy each and every moment I had with Edward and would worry about the future when those kinds of questions and issues actually came up, and not one second before.

Satisfied with my little internal pep talk, I finished drying myself off and walked back into my bedroom where Edward's soft snores started to fill the air. I laughed quietly, turned the lights off, and crawled into bed next to him. He had moved a little since I had taken my shower. One hand rested on his stomach while the other was still behind his head. I watched his chest rise and fall, the lines of his muscles stretching out as he took a breath. Soft light from the streetlights outside glimmered on his reddish-blonde chest hair and narrow happy trail. I sighed happily and snuggled into his side, draping an arm across his chest, just under his hand. I fell asleep with the scent of Edward flooding my nostrils and soothing my mind.

x-x-x-x-x

A streak of sunlight, peeking out from behind a cloud, came barreling down through my bedroom window and right onto my face. I squinted as the sunlight woke me up abruptly. As my body stirred, I felt the heavy, delicious weight of Edward's body next to me. He was no longer snoring but was on his side, curled around my body. One of his hands rested on my hip, warm and soothing. Carefully, trying hard not to disturb him, I slid out of bed and reached for my robe.

Pulling the soft, terrycloth material around me, I padded out into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Tasks like this seemed so ordinary, so incredibly normal, so unlike what my life had been turning into since Edward came into it. Now I had a security fence around my property. Now I had to worry about the paparazzi. But did I really want a normal life? I had been perfectly content with where my life was going before Edward stepped into it with a crash, literally. Now, what had changed so much that the contentment I felt before was no longer enough?

Love.

Love was what was different. I was content with my life and happy, but I had been irrevocably changed when I fell in love with Edward. While we had made no lifetime commitments or promises to one another, I just _knew_ that this was it. Whatever it was, whatever it led to, he was _it_. My hands shook with this realization, but I was okay with it.

He was still leaving today, but I would cope. I'd see him again. Soon even, only a month. Our first Christmas. Our first of many. This time I would get to fly to him. This time I'd get to see his world.

I smiled to myself as a Christmas jingle popped in my head. I couldn't resist humming along as I went about my morning. The house wasn't dirty, but I still straightened it up as the coffee brewed. Thoughts of Christmas influenced my breakfast choices as I started making cranberry ginger muffins and pumpkin pancakes. I even added gingerbread creamer to my coffee.

I had just slipped the muffins in the oven when Edward stumbled into the kitchen, half awake with his boxers twisted low on his hips and tented. The giggle erupted from my mouth before I could stop it. Edward blinked a few times and scrubbed his scalp with one hand, making his bed-head look even more atrocious. _If the people at GQ could see him now._

Feeling merciful, I handed Edward a cup of coffee and directed him to a chair before he ran into something sharp. He blinked a few more times as his higher level brain functions started to operate. I started to flip the pancakes while he sipped his coffee. Christmas carols spring to mind again, and I resumed humming happily. There really wasn't anything much better than having Edward home with me, even if he was leaving later. But that didn't matter in that moment. Nothing did because right now, he was here with me.

Edward must've finally woken up completely when, I heard his velvety tenor softly sing the lyrics to the carol I was humming. I loved hearing him sing, especially when it was just the two of us. As we finished the song, I turned towards him with the big plate of pancakes in my hand. Edward was still sitting at the table, but he was gazing at me with such love and affection. It was difficult to continue staring at his face with the insanity of his gaze.

I set down the huge plate of pancakes on the table in front of Edward and returned to the oven to pull out the muffins. By the time I had come back to the table, Edward had already piled a stack of pancakes on his plate and was eagerly buttering them.

"Hungry?" I teased as I relaxed into my chair and took a sip of coffee.

"Starved," Edward replied, his voice still rough from sleep. "I feel like I haven't eaten in a week!"

"Well, you did work pretty hard yesterday," I commented drolly, fighting the smile that threatened to show.

Edward snorted with an amused look on his face. "I certainly did."

I snickered and started buttering my own stack of pancakes. Edward began to cut into his but looked at a few of the pieces intently before picking one up and smelling it.

"Pumpkin?"

I nodded as I poured a healthy amount of real maple syrup over my stack of pumpkin deliciousness. "And I made ginger cranberry muffins too."

Edward moaned and I looked at him curiously.

"Woman, can you be any more perfect?"

I blushed and snorted at the same time, the snort full of derision as I was far from perfect. "Hardly, Edward. I just know how to make a good breakfast."

"You certainly do. I will miss this when I go back."

Edward's last statement took the wind out of my sails as I struggled to retain my good mood. _It's only for a few weeks. It's only for a few weeks. It's only for a few weeks, _I thought to myself.

I tried to hide how my mood deflated, but Edward knew me too well and saw the minute signs that signaled my mood change. He cocked his head to the side and looked at me with a soft look on his face.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to remind you."

I shook my head and tried to dispel the depressing thoughts. "It's alright, Edward. Its not like I can pretend its not going to happen since you are leaving today. I'll deal with it, and better than I did last time. Plus, we will be seeing each other soon. That definitely helps."

He smiled as he brought his cup of coffee to his lips. After he swallowed, his index finger ran along the rim of his cup. "It is hard to say good-bye. I hate doing this, and it's only the second time. This time around will be much better for me too. I'll know how to deal with the separation better. And as you said, it will only be for a few weeks. Let me tell you, I cannot wait for Christmas."

"Has Christmas always been your favorite holiday?"

"Generally, I am looking forward to seeing my family. Now that all of us are grown, it is hard for everyone to get together, so the holidays are that much more precious. My mom goes nuts at Christmas so it's always memorable. This year, however, has the added bonus that you'll be there with me."

My heart melted a little bit at his words. My family was never quite traditional, which was something I had always wished for. I loved my family and wouldn't change a thing on how my parents raised me, but I had always wished for that traditional type of Christmas that was portrayed in movies, Hallmark Christmas cards, and Norman Rockwell paintings.

The oven timer binged, signaling that the muffins were done. I rose quickly to pull them out and let them cool for a few minutes. "I can't wait to see it, although I am nervous about meeting your family. I hope they like me."

Edward laughed and came to stand behind me as I put the muffins on a cooling rack. His bare arms wrapped around my waist as he nuzzled my neck. "They will love you. Alice already does. She has told everyone about you, and my mother is fit to be tied in anticipation."

"Not helping, Edward," I complained softly. I was already nervous and now I had to worry about living up to their expectations.

"You're worrying too much, Bella. My family is harmless," he stated simply as he grabbed a still quite warm muffin.

I smiled and tried to be reassured as he eagerly took a bite of the top of the muffin, steam wafting up from where he had broken the crust. His family sounded so wonderful. I hoped they didn't wonder why their rich and famous son was with a relatively unknown woman from Small Town, USA or think I was after his money.

"And before you go there, they aren't wondering why I'm not with someone from Hollywood or think that you are a golddigger. You did not seek me out on purpose. We met by accident when I was at a very low point in my life. You pulled me out of my drunken funk, which is something that they will always be thankful to you for. I don't want someone from Hollywood. I want you. They know that."

I smiled softly at him. He knew me so well already. I didn't consider myself terribly insecure, but I did want to make a good impression on Edward's family. His sister was a formidable ball of energy. I could only imagine what the mother of such a passionate woman would be like.

"Oh my God, Bella, these muffins," Edward groaned as his eyeballs rolled into the back of his head while taking another bite.

I laughed as I handed him a second muffin while I grabbed one for myself. He eagerly started eating the second muffin as I nibbled mine.

"You don't like them at all, do you?"

"Naugt a biff," Edward said through a mouthful of muffin, a look of pure bliss on his face.

I couldn't stop laughing as Edward scarfed his muffins with no care about manners. I was glad I'd made plenty of them so I could send some home with him.

We spent the rest of our morning quietly enjoying one another's company. Edward packed his bags without a fuss, and I tried to focus not on the fact that he was leaving. The sooner he was gone, the sooner I would be on a plane to him. Soft touches and gentle kisses marked the time till Edward sighed one final time and looked at his watch.

"It's time."

I nodded and tried to keep my chin from trembling. I was better than this. I knew better than this. Quickly, I squeezed my eyes shut to push the tears back until I was alone. With a final shake of my head, I stood up and grabbed the bag of muffins from the kitchen. When I returned to the living room, Edward stood next to his few bags, waiting by the front door.

After our run-ins with the paparazzi, we agreed earlier that he would drive himself to the airport and drop off his rental there. I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to go with him to see him off but we both knew the paps would probably be there waiting to get a good shot. While I hadn't been overcome by the paps yet, I had had my fill for a few days. The one and only good thing about Edward going back home was that hopefully some of the paparazzi would leave me alone for a little while.

I handed him the plastic baggie full of muffins. He took them greedily, making sure to pack them securely in his carry-on. After making sure his precious cargo was taken care of, he turned to me and pulled me gently into his arms.

"You know, if you keep making things like this for me, I just may have to keep you," he murmured, running a hand down my back.

"Hmm, I'll have to remember that."

Edward laughed as he brought his face close to mine, running his nose across my cheek into my hair. His arms tightened around my waist, embracing me tightly. I sank into his body, locking my arms across his back. His heart was beating furiously, pounding into my breasts which were crushed against his chest.

"Love you," he murmured, breathing deeply of my scent.

"Love you, too, sweetheart," I whispered with my heart bursting for this man who I treasured more than I thought possible.

Far too soon, Edward pulled away from me. His hands trailed along my sides as he leaned in for one final kiss. His lips were searing, burning down to the depths of my soul. I closed my eyes to memorize the sensation. When I re-opened them, his face was intense and earnest as he stared at me like I was a precious work of art. I stared back, unabashed and unashamed, as I recommitted his face to memory. There was little doubt that I would _ever_ forget what Edward looked like, but I wanted to keep this moment forever in my mind. In the future, when I was a shriveled little old lady on my deathbed with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren around me, I would be able to think back to this moment and remember his face, this look, and this feeling.

Absolute and unending love.

A short time later, I could hear gravel crunch under the tires of Edward's Volvo as he drove away. It was easier this time, but it still hurt. For now, it was a necessary evil. I swallowed back my tears as I got ready to head into the bar. It would be interesting to see what the crowd would be like the day after the concert.

I grabbed one last muffin as I ran out the door and hopped into my truck. The old beast was really on its last legs. The truck usually didn't warm up fully until I was already in the parking lot of the Midnight Sun. I groaned thinking of another harsh winter on the lakeshore. The weight of the truck was good to have for traction, but it was still top heavy. I didn't feel unsafe, but perhaps I could be safer in something smaller.

A new habit had developed over the past day or so. I now caught myself constantly checking my mirrors to see if I was being trailed by someone. Today was no exception as I saw a small black rental car a few car lengths behind me as I drove through downtown. I sighed and kept going, determined not to let the paparazzi get to me. I figured they'd leave when they realized that Edward had gone back to LA.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed there was a police car parked there in addition to Jake and Angela's vehicles. My father's second-in-command, Lieutenant Cheney, leaned against the squad car, bundled up in his winter uniform jacket. Quickly, I exited my truck and grabbed the muffins I hadn't had a chance to eat yet and approached the office.

"Good Afternoon, Lieutenant. What brings you by today?"

Lieutenant Cheney smiled warmly and pushed his hat up off his forehead a bit. He was probably a good ten years older than I, between my father's age and mine. I had known him for years, ever since the Lieutenant joined the police department as a rookie straight out of the academy. He actually joined the force about the time I moved to Ohio. We were both scared and a little unsure. Despite our age differences, camaraderie of sorts developed, turning into a casual but long term friendship as I grew older.

"Bella, how many times do I have to ask? Please call me Ben."

"Okay, Ben, what brings you by today? This wouldn't have anything to do with my father would it?"

Ben laughed, causing his shoulders to shake slightly. "Possibly, you know your old man. He is worried that some of the newest visitors to our fair city may try to pull something sneaky."

As Ben spoke, the car that had been following me earlier slowly pulled into the parking lot and parked on the other side of Jake's car, away from our line of sight. I notice that Ben's dark brown eyes kept glancing at the car while he spoke with me.

I rolled my eyes but smiled, also keeping a close eye on the strange car. I knew my father well and was genuinely thankful for the concern, and the extra set of eyes. "If the last several days, last night especially, were any indication, then I'm sure they will. Although, they will be sorely disappointed to find out that Edward has already left."

"Already? Didn't he just get here?"

"He arrived Monday afternoon, but he couldn't stay very long. He's still filming and the director let them have the week off for the holiday. He has to be back on the set tomorrow."

"They work on Sundays too?"

"I guess so. From what Edward says, making movies are generally very expensive, especially if they are being shot at a location and not at a studio, so they just power through it and get all the filming done all at once. What he is working on now is at a studio, but they still can't take their time."

"Hmm, I learn something new every day," Ben commented.

"You hungry?"

"A little. You buyin'?"

I laughed again. Ben was so easy to be around. He definitely put me at ease. "Better, homemade." I tossed him the bag of muffins I brought for myself. "I made these this morning. Cranberry ginger muffins."

Ben's eyes grew wide as he quickly grabbed the bag and pulled out a muffin. "Seriously? Homemade muffins? I haven't had homemade muffins in a long time." He sniffed the top, smiling like a kid at Christmas.

"Yes, seriously. What is it about men and homemade treats?" I muttered to myself. I swore, if this was all that it took to get a man's attention, then all those feminists were wrong. We definitely had the power, but it was from the kitchen after all.

I cleared my throat as Ben demolished the first muffin and looked like he was considering the second one. "Well, I need to head inside and get to work. Are you staying outside the entire day?"

Ben looked down at his chest and blushed as he quickly brushed muffin crumbs off his jacket. "Er, no, just for a little while. I'll be in and out as I monitor the area. One of the regular patrolmen will be by later to relieve me for a bit. I'll be back tonight to make sure you get home safely."

"Ben, you don't have to do that. I have a security fence now. I'll be perfectly safe."

"Orders from the Chief, ma'am. I can't go against that."

I nodded, acknowledging that Ben was going back into "duty" mode. I knew asking him not to escort me home was probably not going to work, but I had to ask. I didn't like feeling like I was being babysat, but I knew this was for my protection. It was scary to think about what could have happened last night if Charlie hadn't been there to help get rid of the photographers that had followed us to my house. Finding where I lived was bound to happen eventually. Once my name was out, all it took was a tech savvy person to do a property search in the area and find where I lived. _The joys of public information in the technologically advanced age we lived in._

"Let me know if you need anything. Whatever you want is on the house," I offered.

"Thank you, Bella."

I walked into the bar which was completely set up already, but there was no sign of Jake or Angela. _That's odd_. As I walked through the main room towards my office, I heard a scuffle and a groan that seemed to be coming from the supply room. Concerned that a pap had managed to get inside, I quietly approached the corner and peeked my head around. I couldn't have been more surprised at what I saw. It definitely was _not_ a paparazzi.

Jacob had Angela pressed up against the far wall with her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands in his hair. One of his hands was cupping her butt, and the other I couldn't see, nor did I really want to know where it was. I smirked as I tried to keep myself from laughing out loud. I wasn't the only one who became impassioned at work.

Feeling that I had intruded long enough, I softly cleared my throat. I could tell the instant they heard me. Both of their bodies stiffened and Angela let out a sharp gasp. "Hmm, perhaps I should have an office built for you guys so you could have some privacy... certainly beats making out in the stock room." Before Jake could turn around and be further humiliated, I chuckled a few times and walked away to my office. I wasn't going to give him or Angela too much of a hard time about it. They weren't naked and we weren't open yet. Hell, I had done worse in my office just the other night. That didn't mean that they weren't going to get teased a few times before I let them off the hook.

A few minutes later, someone rapped on my office door. I gave permission to enter and spun around in my chair to see who was first in the walk of shame. Jake trudged in, his head hung low with his hand at the back of his neck. It was hard to tell with his dusky skin tone, but it almost seemed like he was still blushing. I tried to fight the smile that was trying so hard to come out, it was a losing battle. At least I managed not to laugh again. Jake stopped in front of me, his head still bowed. He shifted his weight from one side, a habit I had seen from him when he was gathering his thoughts.

"Bella, I am so sorry- "

I held up my hand cutting him off. "Nothing to be sorry for, Jake. Do you think I'd really be upset that you two were having a little fun before the bar opened? I couldn't care less. Just be careful. As long as it doesn't interfere with business, it doesn't bother me. I just don't want to catch either one of you naked on the bar or on my desk."

He looked up at me, incredulous.

"Come on now, do you really think I'd be mad over catching you two getting a little handsy after what I've done in my office with Edward?"

Jake was speechless and blushing furiously.

"Okay, perhaps that was a TMI moment, but you were there standing guard by my office door on Friday night. You_ knew_ what we were up to in there."

He appeared to have recovered his speech. "Yeah, I had a good idea but this is your place, not mine. You could screw right on the bar if you wanted to."

I shook my head. "Yes, but that probably violates some health codes. Tempting idea though," I said with a smile as my imagination wandered.

Jake just shook his head and laughed. "Angela is so worried that you are going to fire us."

"Oh come on, really? How long have you guys known me? Do you really think I'd fire you for that?"

He shrugged. "Well, no, but I don't like to assume anything."

I laughed. "You have nothing to worry about. You two are my best employees. You guys are the reason why I can take off for a few weeks next month. You and Angela keep this place running like a well-oiled machine, and I couldn't be more grateful."

Jake nodded and blushed again. "Thank you."

"Now go tell your anxious girlfriend that you two still have jobs for the foreseeable future and let me get back to work."

xoxoxoxoxo

The weeks leading towards Christmas passed quickly, much quicker than I expected. Business at the bar had picked up, partially because the college kids were home from school and from Edward's concert. People came just to see if he'd stop by or just to be in the same place he was. The extra business was nice. It helped me put money aside faster for the restaurant expansion. For the benefit to the bar, I would put up with the publicity and the paparazzi.

The week after Edward left, Charlie made sure I didn't go anywhere without police escort, either uniform or not. It was comforting but largely unnecessary. There were only two instances where the photographers were a problem and the city's finest helped keep them at bay. I still found myself gracing the covers of the tabloids, but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.

There were a ton of pictures of us from the concert on Friday night. I was confident enough in myself to realize that I was fairly attractive, but I barely recognized myself in those pictures. Now those, those I was proud of having displayed. I looked hot, like I deserved to be with Edward. I didn't realize how short that cocktail dress was until I saw a photo of me wearing it, but damn if Alice didn't have good taste.

I discovered the concert pictures when I was in the grocery store later that week after Edward left. Thankfully, the line I was in was not one of Lauren's so I didn't have to fake politeness to her. She was the reason we were outed so early, and I hadn't quite forgiven her for that yet. As some teenaged girl rang up my cart, I grabbed the first rag that caught my eye. Right on the front cover was a picture of Edward and me, arms wrapped around one another in a deep kiss. Going through my memories of that night, I realized these were from his break between sets. As much as the papparazi's attention irritated me, I felt better knowing that now there was proof of our relationship. _Tanya can put that in her pipe and smoke it, stupid hag_. The rest of the pictures were much of the same, most of the concert, one or two of the paps who had followed me home. One photographer got a great shot of Charlie handing the ass of another photographer, the one who broke his camera. It was a great angle. Even the caption was funny.

_"One of the X-17 photographers learned that you don't disturb Papa Bear"_

I ended up buying that particular magazine. I thought it was pretty amusing. Some of the rags tried to take themselves seriously in how they presented the "facts" of their stories. Others, like this one, seemed to enjoy poking fun at themselves as much as the stories.

Thankfully, the cashier didn't pay any attention to the cover of the magazine or who was standing in front of her. I was afraid of another Lauren-esque scene like how she practically chased Edward down for an autograph. Some of the people that came into the bar thought it was funny to ask for my autograph. The first few times it was funny. After that, not so much. I wasn't a celebrity, I was just dating one.

The phone at the bar still rang constantly by reporters wanting to talk to me. I listened to each one and wrote down the details and started a file on them. I thought that eventually Edward and I would probably do a joint interview and this way I could see for myself what some of the companies were like. After a week or so, even those calls started to trickle down. It was almost back to normal as it approached mid-December. Just in time for me to leave for the west coast.

As before, Edward and I had talked every day both through voice and text. A few times we used Skype when we both had our computers handy. We discussed flight plans and travel arrangements. I wanted to pay for the flight myself. Edward refused, stating that he asked me to come out to him so the least he could do was pay my way. I argued that I could afford to fly myself, but Edward persisted, asking in his most charming voice to let him do this. I relented. It was hard to say no to him when he asked like that.

However, when the tickets came, I wanted to choke him with them. Instead of the regular coach flight with the cheapest airline available on the day we decided I'd fly out, he bought me a first class ticket through Continental Airlines. I loved Continental, but there were definitely cheaper airlines out there. And first class to boot! I wasn't sure quite why I was upset; perhaps I felt embarrassed that I couldn't afford to fly like this myself or just angry that he was spending that much money on me. I appreciated the surprise but I wish he would've given me some heads up about the upgrade. I did my best to try to put it out of mind, but it was hard.

The night I received the tickets, I tore into him a little bit during our Skype call. "Edward Anthony Cullen! Why did you buy me first class tickets?"

Edward's eyes widened on my computer screen as he watched me pace in front of my webcam. "Um, because I wanted to?"

"I thought we had discussed coach!"

"You discussed coach. You never asked me if I wanted to buy coach or first class," Edward retorted with a smirk.

"Because you shouldn't have! It's too much!"

"It's safer," he countered.

"What?" I stopped on a dime and peered at him on the screen.

"If anyone recognizes you on the flight, they won't be able to bother you."

"What is the likelihood of someone recognizing me? I mean, come on now."

"You are traveling into LAX. There could be photographers on the plane on their way home. It would be a perfect opportunity."

"I never thought of that," I whispered.

"I had, plus I wanted to spoil you a little. I'm assuming you've never flown first class before?"

"No, never. It was always too expensive."

"Well, it's not for me. I prefer to fly first class just for the privacy. You'll see the advantages."

I sulked a little, not liking the fact I'd lost the argument. "If you say so. I still think you spent too much."

"Bella, how many times do I have to tell you? Money doesn't mean anything to me. If it ensures that you are comfortable and safe, then it was well spent, regardless of the cost."

I nodded and our conversation drifted to other topics. I could see his point, grudgingly, but I could. The part of me that wasn't pissed by the expense of the tickets was touched by the gesture.

The night before I was set to leave, I was horribly nervous. I had never been to the west coast before. This would be the longest I'd ever been away from home except for college, and that was in the same state. This would be the farthest from home I had ever been. This was also the first time I would be away from the bar and leaving it under the control of someone else for a period of time. I trusted Angela and Jake implicitly, but it was still nerve-wracking. I felt like a mother who was letting her child drive for the first time.

I was all packed and ready to go. I had painstakingly typed up unnecessary instructions for Angela and Jake, things they mostly already knew, but I wanted to confirm on paper, things that might come up while I was gone, and just whatever things I could think of that I needed to tell them. I felt slightly neurotic. Edward laughed at me but I think he understood. The bar was my baby and I was giving it to the care of someone else for the first time. It was a big step for me. It could be a bigger step for the two of us, depending on what direction our relationship ended up going. I tried not to focus on that. I hadn't actually left to see if being away would be a success.

Jake and Angela wished me a safe trip and told me that we'd celebrate our own Christmas together when I got back. I made them promise not to defile my office in my absence. Jake laughed. Angela blushed as red as a tomato. Jessica was over the moon in excitement for me. She told me to take lots of pictures of LA and to get autographs of anyone famous I met. Charlie offered to drive me to the airport as well. He figured riding in a police car would be a good paparazzi deterrent. He was right. I didn't see any strange cars or any camera flashes.

Next thing I knew, I was on the plane to Los Angeles. Even with the direct flight, it was still going to be five hours. As I sat in my roomy and comfy chair, I felt a little bit better about Edward buying first class tickets. Being in a chair like this for five hours was much more comfortable then being cramped into an economy chair. A lot of my first class cabin mates were business people. They were wearing clothes that probably cost more than my bar's monthly income. No one seemed to pay me any mind, which was the best part. Most had laptops or briefcases open, working on presentations or quarterly sales reports. I brought some of my paperwork for the restaurant proposal and a book to occupy myself. I decided to start light, and I dug out my paperback.

I woke up a few hours later as the plane hit some turbulence over the desert. My book had flopped over to the side, wedged in between my hip and the side of the chair. I quickly checked the cover for damage. I was one of those people would was anally retentive about how my books were kept. Even paperbacks were treated well. I tried to avoid breaking the spine as much as I could.

Eventually, we started our descent into Los Angeles. I had never seen such a huge city before. It seemed to go on forever, well, until the city reached the coast, but still as far as the eye could see. Landing at LAX wasn't any better. It reminded me of flying into Cleveland's airport because the planes had to follow the landing pattern for the airport over the lake. In Los Angeles, the planes went over the ocean...but a _lot_ more of the ocean. I closed my eyes and thought happy thoughts as we rapidly approached the landing strip. Take-offs were fine. The landings were always where it seemed the roughest.

After just a short period of time, we were at the terminal and the flight attendants were allowing us to deboard. First class got to go first, of course. My excitement grew and completely overshadowed my nervousness. I took out the hat and sunglasses that Edward said to bring and slipped them on before I left the gate. LAX was much larger than the airports I had been to before, but it was fairly easy to find baggage claim. All signs usually led you to baggage claim. Where else were you going to go after you got off a five hour flight? The souvenir shop?

I followed the general flow of people into baggage claim. The last thing I wanted to deal with was lost luggage, especially since Edward's Christmas present was in my bags. There were chauffeurs standing by the exits, some with signs, some without, all waiting for passengers. I ignored them and tried to keep an eye out for anyone with a camera. I saw a few, but I kept my head down and tried to look as natural as possible. I had just found the perfect spot for getting my luggage when the conveyor belts started up. Various pieces of luggage in all kinds of colors began spitting out onto the belt from a door on the wall. My huge green suitcase eventually made an appearance. I was surprised that it came under the weight limit without having to pay extra. I heaved the suitcase over the lip of the belt and righted it so the rollers were on the floor.

With one final calming breath, I squared my shoulders and looked over to the line of chauffeurs. Edward had said he was going to send a driver to get me and to look for the one holding up a sign for me. At the end of the line of drivers, slightly taller then the ones around him, stood a man dressed in a non-descript black suit with a white shirt and black tie. He had a pageboy cap on his head and sunglasses. In his hands was a white cardboard sign with an emblem in black written on it: a swan. My mouth curled up in a smile as I approached my driver.

"Miss Swan?"

I nodded.

"Welcome to LA. Let me take your bags."

**A/N Thank you for sticking with me! I PROMISE that the next chapter will not take six months to post! Teasers for Chapter 23 will be sent with reviews! **


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N Hey, another chapter in only just over a month! ****Thank you for your patience as I get back into the swing of things**. **Special thanks to my WC girls, and to my awesome PTB Betas: HEAR and Sweetishbubble **

**Chapter Twenty-Three: California Dreamin'**

**EPOV**

I had thought that leaving Bella this time would have been easier. Perhaps it was, in a way, knowing that I'd see her in just a few short weeks, but it still sucked, bad. I never slept as well as I did when she was next to me. Life wasn't as enjoyable without her around. This wasn't to say I was dependent on her for my happiness, because I wasn't. She did, however, make everything I enjoyed better.

I was sure if Emmett heard the thoughts I was having, he'd be demanding my man card back. Emmett didn't have anything on me, though. He was all macho and tough unless we were talking about his wife, then he became a big old teddy bear. Personally, she came across as more of a prickly pear most of the time, but I wasn't the one who had married her.

Rosalie aside, I couldn't wait to introduce Bella to the rest of my family. Esme was just beside herself. I hadn't brought anyone home in years, and she was working herself into a tizzy. I told her that Bella was pretty low maintenance and she wouldn't feel comfortable with that amount of fuss, but Esme just wanted Bella's trip to be perfect. Surprisingly enough, Alice was helping rein in Esme. My sister was saving me once again.

As I touched down at LAX, I turned my phone on and fired off a quick text to Jane and Marcus. With Christmas approaching, I would need Jane to help get everything set up, and I would need Marcus to help me coordinate all of my remaining commitments to my latest film. Marcus was a godsend. He was my agent and my manager. It was a lot for one person to take on, but he didn't carry a lot of clients at one time. The level of service he provided kept his client list small.

Jane... well Jane was a different story. I still felt she was unnecessary, and I'd only hired her as a personal assistant at Marcus's urging. Plus, she and I hadn't really meshed well yet. We'd only been working together for a few short months, but she was still as caustic and cold as she was the first day. I considered asking Marcus what her deal was, but from what he told me, he didn't know her very well either. He recommended her based on her reputation. Perhaps it was a mistake to trust his judgment.

Thank God the filming was almost over. The sooner I wouldn't have to deal with Tanya anymore, the better. At least our love scene was over. Doing that scene with her once was bad enough. If James were to tell me that the scene needed to be re-shot, I'd be tempted to refuse.

My phone chimed with an incoming text as I walked down the gangplank from the airplane. As always, Marcus wanted to meet with me as soon as possible to go over everything that had come up since I had gone. This was why he was more of my assistant than Jane. He did most of the coordination. She just reminded me of my appointments and kept me on schedule.

I was in the middle of typing him a reply when my phone chimed again with a text from Jane. She was in-route to pick me up and would take me to Marcus' office for our meeting. I had to admit, that was well orchestrated. At least this way I could get the meetings with them done and out of the way so I could get settled back in my apartment.

It was hard to call it home anymore. Sure it had all my stuff and a lot of memories but my home was in Ohio. Not in the physical structure that was Bella's house, but anywhere she was. When she arrived in a few short weeks, this place would feel like home again.

The usual gang of paparazzi was by the baggage claim area, waiting to snap whatever pictures they could of whomever they could. Sometimes I was able to sneak by them. Today was not one of those days. However, I didn't really mind it as much. Bella really opened my eyes when we were ambushed on Friday night. She handled the sudden chaos with grace and dignity, which was more than I could say for a good portion of Hollywood. How often had I cursed the cameras? I really didn't want to get stuck talking to any of the photographers or videographers, so I pulled the bill of my hat down and just kept moving. When I heard my name called, I waved and offered a small smile but that was it. I let them get their pictures and kept going. This time, I did not let the paparazzi control my life. It was a remarkable feeling.

Jane waited for me in the backseat of a car sent by Marcus' company at the curb outside of the baggage claim. The car must've only been there for a moment or two. There was no way that the TSA would allow a car, even for a celebrity, to idle for very long. The driver stood by the passenger door, his hand on the handle, waiting to open the door for me. Jane's head was bowed as she was reading something on her phone, so I was able to enter the car without her noticing. She jumped and looked up at me with an irritated expression once I slid into the car.

"Well, hello to you, too," I greeted sarcastically. Nothing made me more welcome then cold and formal Jane.

She sighed and set her phone down. "Good Afternoon, Edward."

I settled down in my seat and signaled to the driver to head back to Marcus's office. Jane continued to look everywhere but at me.

"How was your Thanksgiving?"

Her eyes flickered to mine in annoyance. "Fine."

"Any plans for Christmas?"

She huffed again. "Not yet."

I thought it was finally time I called her out on her attitude. I certainly didn't want to have to deal with this when Bella was here in a few weeks. "Okay, Jane, what is the deal?"

She turned her head to look out the window as she spoke. "What do you mean?"

"What do you think?" I retorted. "Why the attitude? Did I do something to offend you? Do you not like working for me?"

Jane sighed again, but this time it wasn't as sharp. Her shoulders fell as she finally turned to address me. "I do not have a problem working for you. You treat me with respect, you are professional, and you do not have a diva complex like others I have worked for in the past."

"If that's how you feel, why do you act the way you do?"

"It's complicated."

"Enlighten me. I think I can keep up."

Jane closed her eyes and seemed to shrink into herself. I had never seen her act this way before. When her eyes reopened, they had become cold and reserved again.

"I am not going to discuss this with you. I will monitor my tone and behavior toward you so I do not seem so rude. I apologize for any aggravation I have caused you."

The wall that I had started to peek over was back up again. Jane's instant formal tone pushed back any iota of progress I had made at cracking her shell. I sighed, resigned, and sat back into the car cushions.

After a few minutes of silence, I turned towards her, my voice firm and unwavering. "Fine. If this is how it's going to be between us, then I need to make a few things clear."

Her head turned slightly towards me, the only indication I was likely to get that she was paying attention.

"Bella is flying out in a few weeks to spend Christmas and New Years with me. I will be relying on you to make some necessary arrangements."

Jane's face remained stoic except for a faint tic in her cheek when Bella's name was mentioned.

"I have not failed to notice how you react when I have spoken about her. I do not understand what you could possibly have against someone you have never met, but I will not tolerate any disrespect or rudeness to her while she is here. You are to treat her as you treat me. Is this understood?"

My voice left no room for argument.

She nodded stiffly. "Yes."

"Good."

The remainder of the ride was quiet as we kept to our own thoughts. I was frustrated with the riddle that was Jane Malvagita. Eventually, I would find out why she acted the way she did. It might have been a private matter, but it was affecting how she worked and I was tired of dealing with it.

Being ushered into Marcus's plush downtown LA office was like entering the inner sanctum of the entertainment industry. There were pictures of Marcus and many of the movers and shakers of Hollywood. He was, at one time, attached to one of the "Big Four" talent agencies. Marcus wanted more control over the talent he represented, which went against the grain of the strictures of the company. Eventually, he broke free and created his own much smaller company. This flexibility allowed Marcus to be both my agent and my manager. It was a lot to juggle at times, between my music career and my acting career, but he handled it all with finesse.

The only thing I disliked about coming into Marcus's office was interacting with Caius, Marcus's partner. I wasn't quite sure exactly what Caius did within the company because he never represented anyone. Most often, he was like a statue: silent, still, and cold. I had only heard him speak a handful of times in the years I had been with Marcus.

True to form, Caius was hovering in the background like a wraith as Jane and I walked in. I might've been seeing things, but I thought I saw something flicker between Caius and Jane, something more than just recognition. However, I didn't put much weight into it. I was already hyperaware of her behavior so it would be easy to misinterpret something into more than what it was.

Marcus sat behind his large maple desk, leaning back in his overstuffed executive chair. His back was turned to us as we approached. Two smaller stationary but equally well-padded chairs were in front, empty and waiting. A matching maple sidebar was off in the corner with a water service and a decanter of cognac. My throat burned as I thought about how the cognac would taste. I swallowed thickly and remembered why I didn't drink liquor anymore.

"Yes, thank you, James. I will let him know very soon. I'm sure either he or Jane will be contacting you to advise on a time," Marcus's voice rumbled as he turned in his chair to face us, his cell phone up to his ear. He smiled briefly at me then Jane before he shuffled a few papers on his desk. He said a few more things before he hung up his phone.

"Welcome back, Edward," he greeted. "I'm guessing by your demeanor right now that your trip back to Ohio was a success."

"It was. We got some issues aired out and made some progress in our relationship."

Marcus's secretary, an overly done up petite woman, approached us quietly with glasses of water. I gratefully accepted mine and nodded my thanks.

"Good. You will need that peace to deal with the shit storm your interview caused," he replied with a grimace.

I almost choked on the sip of chilled water that I'd taken. "That I caused? Tanya started this bullshit with that cockamamie interview about our relationship. I wouldn't have had to talk to the media if she hadn't done that."

"No, if you had talked to Bella beforehand, you wouldn't have needed to so publicly denounce Tanya."

I felt my anger begin to burn as I tried to defend my actions. It was done. I wouldn't have changed my mind to do that impromptu interview for one second. "This is crap, Marcus, and you know it. Tanya is fucking crazy. She's had a grudge against me since we broke up a while ago. What am I supposed to do about that?"

"You already did do something. Now we have to fix it."

Marcus leveled a stare at me, the kind of stare that meant business, that meant 'knock this shit off and listen to me.' I still thought this was bullshit but I settled down and let Marcus have his say.

"James is worried about any potential catfights between you and Tanya for the duration of the movie. He wants some kind of guarantee from you there won't be any more stunts."

I nodded; I had no intention of interacting with Tanya any more than I had to for the duration of this movie.

"The studio is concerned about the image of the film because the two principal actors, who are supposed to be in love in the movie, are publicly fighting. They are worried that this will affect distributors' desire to pick up the movie and how the public will interpret this. The movie-going public will not want to see a movie if the fourth wall is broken, destroying the illusion brought on by with all this drama."

This made me pause. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about this when I decided to do the interview. It wouldn't have stopped me from doing it, but I probably would've given Marcus and James some kind of heads up. All I was focused on was that I was about to lose the best thing that ever happened to me because of that crazy, psychotic bitch.

I leaned forward in my chair as I gathered my thoughts, tapping my fingertips together as my elbows rested on my knees. Marcus watched me passively while Jane tapped quietly on her phone. Both Caius and Marcus's secretary were nowhere to be found. I certainly wasn't looking forward to working with Tanya come Monday when we were on set or having to spend time with her during the promotional circuit for the film. At least I'd have a break in between the two, and maybe that would allow things to calm down a little. Perhaps she would have found a new boytoy to keep her occupied. I could only hope for something to keep her obsessive tricks away from me.

Taking a deep breath, I looked Marcus in the eye as I spoke. "Before I left, I said my piece to Tanya when she tried to molest me in my trailer. I made my point about the status of our alleged relationship with the interview and only did that interview to counter the farce of the one she gave. I have nothing further to say to the media about Tanya, nor do I want to. The sooner that this all quiets down, the happier I will be.

"I want to deal with her as little as possible both on the set and off. After what happened in my trailer, she is not allowed to be alone in my presence. Jane is aware of this, as is my security detail. As long as Tanya stays out of my hair and doesn't start any more shit, you won't hear a peep out of me. I've made my commitment to this movie and I will fulfill that."

I sat back and watched Marcus as he absorbed what I'd said. I only spoke the truth. While I didn't want to belabor the situation with Tanya, I wasn't going to take her manipulation lying down. I trusted her once, but after what happened with the coffee shop and my trailer... never again.

Marcus pursed his lips as he looked at something on his desk. His face showed no emotion, just concentration on the subject at hand. He had seemed a little annoyed when we first walked in but that quickly dissipated. Jane never once looked up the entire time I spoke. Her attention continued to be focused on her phone. I hoped she was so attentive to her phone because she was taking notes on the meeting.

Finally, a hint of emotion crept up Marcus's face as a smile broke his grim visage. "That will be of great relief to both James and the studio. Since most of the movie is done, the biggest concern is how you two will interact during the promotions. From the success of your last movie and all this recent drama, you and Tanya are going to be in higher demand for all the late shows, not to mention how huge the press junket is going to be."

I sighed, already dreading the drudgery that the press junkets were. Sitting in a room all day long, answering the same questions would be bad enough. Having to put up with Tanya as well would make it a borderline nightmare. There was always some pesky reporter who wanted to ask blacklisted personal questions too. This time around, I may not mind as much I usually would. It would be another opportunity to set the record straight.

"When it comes time to making the arrangements for the press junket, I'll have some requests to make things tolerable and ensure I don't murder my co-star."

Marcus rolled his eyes with a smile. "That's reasonable. I'm sure Jane will be able to get that squared away for you."

She looked up and nodded briefly. Maybe she was paying attention after all.

Recalling what I had heard when we came in, I questioned Marcus. "What were you and James talking about when we walked in?"

"James wants to meet with you and Tanya before heading back to the set on Monday, preferably today. Studio reps will be there as well. He wants you or Jane to call him as soon as you leave here to confirm a time."

I sighed, realizing my hopes to go back to my apartment and just relax for the rest of the day were quickly dwindling away. I should've realized that I couldn't live in LA at the same pace that I had in Ohio. Garrett's offer of a slower pace started to look better and better. Running a hand through my hair, I slouched in my chair, dreading the direction the rest of my day was going.

"Do they want to meet with us at the same time, or can I meet with James at the studio on my own?"

Marcus looked at me pointedly. "Come on, Edward, I think you know the answer to that question."

I sighed again. "Yeah, I know but I had to ask. She's the last person I want to see today, tomorrow, or any other day."

"Life's full of disappointments, Edward. Just be professional."

I rolled my eyes, not really in the mood to be lectured. "Yes, Marcus."

Marcus shook his head at me and muttered under his breath as he rose from his chair. I didn't bother to ask what he was saying. I was sure it was about me and wasn't very complimentary. Taking his cue, I also stood up and stuck out my hand to Marcus as a gesture of good faith.

"I know I can be a pain in the ass sometimes, Marcus. I appreciate everything you do, and I want to thank you for sticking up for me."

My manager, and sometimes friend, finally smiled and shook my hand. "This is what you pay me lots of money to do. The more money you make the more money I make. It is a win-win situation for both of us."

It always helped to talk Marcus's language: money. He, more than anything or anyone, was a businessman. He had your attention if you were talking his business.

I turned to Jane who had finally disentangled herself from her phone. "Jane, please call James and see if we can head right over there. I want to get this done as soon as possible. I also need to talk to Marcus for a moment longer, so I'll meet you out in the lobby shortly."

She nodded and quietly withdrew.

Not finding a better way to broach the subject, I went right for it. "Marcus, I need to ask you something."

He nodded his head for me to continue.

"How well do you know Jane? You recommended her to me, yet she acts like working for me is the last thing she wants to do. I am in a continuous state of frustration with her. I don't expect her to be my best friend, but her borderline disrespectful attitude is quickly getting old. She's very efficient and professional in other aspects of her job, except for when I interact with her directly or if I mention Bella."

Marcus's eyebrows furrowed as he listened. "I have known her for several years, but not well at all. Caius knows her better than I, but has never spoke ill of her."

"Caius?" I asked, startled.

"Yes, apparently they have been friends for quite some time."

"I didn't realize she had any friends," I mumbled.

Marcus ignored my comment as he continued. "In the few years that I have known her, she has never exhibited a warm, welcoming personality. She has always kept everyone at a distance, except Caius. She and I have only exchanged a minimum of words, barely even pleasantries. However, I have always been impressed with her professionalism and her ability to get things done. Whatever her methods may be, she is very effective. This is why I recommended her to you. You need someone that is going to be able to cut through the bullshit that is in this industry and make things happen."

"What's the deal between her and Caius?"

"Neither will say, and I refuse to pry."

"Hmm, okay. Well I feel a little better about the fact that she doesn't treat me any differently than other people," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "I don't get her deal with Bella, though. Jane has never met her."

"Don't let her get to you, Edward, or to Bella. She may be suspicious of new people. Who knows? Just don't let her give you any shit. One thing I do know about her is that she respects people who stand up for themselves and don't let themselves be walked on. Keep doing what you are doing, and things will be fine."

I nodded and shook Marcus's hand one more time before leaving his office. Jane waited quietly in the foyer, for once not playing with her phone.

"Thank you for your patience, Jane. What time is James available?" I asked softly, approaching the petite woman.

She looked up, her face momentarily vulnerable before it was quickly covered with her usual cool façade. "He said to come right over. Tanya is already there. I could hear her screeching in the background."

"Great," I moaned.

Jane smiled, "She's only upset because you publicly humiliated her. She had it coming to her."

I was stunned. Not only had Jane never smiled at me before, but she'd actually spoken to me without me asking a question of her. However, just as soon as this bit of humanity showed itself, it was quickly hidden.

Jane stood, brushed an imaginary bit of lint off her skirt, and looked up at me expectantly. "Ready?"

"Uh, yeah. Let's go."

The drive to the studio was not quite as tense as the ride to Marcus's office had been. I occupied myself with texting Bella and Seth. It helped to calm me down from the gathering stress of dealing with my she-witch of a co-star. There was truly something inherently wrong with Tanya. I didn't know why I hadn't seen that before.

Piles of paparazzi and tourists were camped outside of the studio gates, the flashes of their cameras not as glaring in the daylight. It served only to remind me of the fiasco after last night's concert. At least I was here now so the paps would leave Bella alone. The security guard at the gate quickly waved us in, leaving behind the noise and chaos of the city for a completely different kind of noise.

The studio lot was abuzz with activity. Extras and grips were running around between sound stages while open-air buses gave tours. Thankfully, it didn't take very long to get to the studio offices since they were quite prominent in the front of the studio. I preferred to enter from the side entrances, but this was faster. Going through one of the side entrances would mean having to navigate around the many stages, trailers, and even more people running round. A tour bus went by the car and I could see the people leaning over the side of the open-air vehicle to try to see inside the car. I was very thankful that the windows of the car were tinted, offering me some desired privacy.

The car slowed and came to a stop in front of impressive glass doors with the studio's name etched across the front. Before I could exit the vehicle, the chauffer had hopped out and opened his door for me.

"Mr. Cullen," the man prompted quietly.

I slid out smoothly and waited for Jane to help her out. She didn't accept my hand, but didn't completely turn me aside either. It may have just been the jetlag talking, but it seemed like she was defrosting a little towards me. Lord knew I was going to need it when I had to sit in the same room with Tanya.

As we walked into the main lobby, the receptionist called James's office to announce us. She gestured quickly towards the bank of elevators down the hall.

"Mr. Richardson is waiting for you, Mr. Cullen," she said hurriedly, looking a bit frazzled. I could only imagine that Tanya had something to do with that.

I smiled at her as we walked by, hoping that her day would get a little better once Tanya was out of the building. I knew my day would improve the moment I could get away from the toxicity that was Tanya Denali.

I could hear Tanya's voice from the beginning of the hallway. Her range was actually quite impressive. I turned to Jane as we walked towards James' office.

"You don't happen to have earplugs in your bag, do you?" I asked.

Jane's mouth twitched in amusement as she shook her head.

"Eh, it was worth a shot."

I stopped outside of James's suite. Tanya was just coming down from a rant. Taking a deep breath and thinking fondly of Bella to help keep calm, I firmly rapped on the door. James's assistant swiftly opened the door and ushered us in. The poor man looked even worse than the receptionist downstairs had.

"Thank God you are here," he uttered quickly. "That woman is a shrew and has not stopped haranguing since she stomped in here earlier."

Laurent, James's assistant, knew all too well the ways and wiles of Tanya Denali. He had the pleasure of hearing many of her tirades during the filming of the movie. She could be as sweet as pie as long as you did whatever she asked when she asked. However, she was very vocal on any slights she perceived against her or things she didn't agree with. One more thing that should have tipped me off that something was up when she had been so nice to me leading up to our blow-up in my trailer.

I chuckled and followed Laurent into James's office.

The moment I walked into the room, Tanya whirled around, her strawberry blonde hair flying. Her eyes narrowed at me and her face transformed into an ugly sneer. A long manicured finger pointed at me. I was glad I was not within reach of her otherwise that finger would be digging into my chest.

"You!" she ranted. "This is all your fault. You blew this whole thing up, making me look like the bad guy. All we had was a misunderstanding."

I cocked an eyebrow at her and scoffed mildly. "If you call announcing a made-up relationship on national television a misunderstanding, then sure."

James Richardson sat behind his desk, watching our interaction. His long blond hair was tied back and it looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days, which was a normal look for him. However, he was actually wearing trousers and a polo shirt instead of jeans. This was the only indication that this meeting was important. I took that as my cue and would not allow myself to get into a shouting match with Tanya.

Tanya huffed and took a deep breath to start in on me again, but James mercifully cut her off.

"Alright Tanya, we already know how you feel about the situation. However, what is done is done. What we want now is to ensure that the two of you will be able to work together to get this film finished and participate in the promotions that you are both contractually bound to do."

I nodded and took a seat by his desk. Tanya continued to pace about the room. Her personal assistant sat on the couch against the far wall, looking worse for wear. I felt bad for the poor woman. On a good day, Tanya was okay to deal with, but it didn't seem like she had many good days to speak of. Jane quietly walked over and joined the suffering woman on the couch.

James' eyes flickered in annoyance at Tanya before addressing me. "The studio heads will be here shortly. They were waiting until you arrived before coming down. The-"

"You certainly took your sweet ass time getting here too, Eddie," Tanya spat, cutting off James. "I've been here all afternoon waiting for you to grace us with your presence. At least one of us is able to be professional and arrive to a meeting on time."

I was really trying to hold my tongue and not lash out at her like I wanted to do. Her barbs had no weight and I knew James knew the truth, but that didn't stop me from getting upset about them. I closed my eyes, pinched the bridge of my nose, and tried to rein in my temper.

"Tanya, I've had about enough of your shit today," James cut in, clearly getting more pissed by the minute. "Sit down and shut up. You knew that the studio wasn't happy with all the drama from these ridiculous interviews you both gave, so you came in to start pleading your case to save your job. It was sheer coincidence that Edward was going to be back in town today, thus creating the opportunity for this, impromptu but important, meeting."

Tanya sputtered, her face turning red in anger. "How dare you speak to me this way? Do you have any idea who I am? Who I know? With a single phone call I can make sure you never direct another film again."

James laughed as he leaned back in his chair. I stared at him, completely thrown off by his reaction. Once James stopped laughing, he stood up slowly and leaned against his desk by his hands. His face was tight with rigidly controlled fury while his eyes burned.

"Listen to me, little girl. I don't give a flying fuck who you think you are or who you think you know. Do you really think you have more power than I do around here? Do you really want to play that game with me? I guarantee that you will lose."

Tanya stood stiffly, her hands curled into fists at her sides as she tried to stare down James. I was very glad I wasn't a part of this particular battle of egos.

"I've been in this business a lot longer than you have, Ms. Denali. You think your tricks are new or unique? Think twice. You haven't exactly been discreet in some of your associations and dealings. I'm sure you wouldn't want the public to find out and shatter that perfect image you've cultivated, nor would you want the studio to know about some of things you have been up to in the past several years."

Tanya's face paled as she took a step back from his desk.

"You would be wise to remember this: You are nothing more than the flavor of the month to the public. You've managed to have a decent career because you started so young. As soon as you start to age, you will start getting passed over on roles for younger actresses. Unless you change your superior attitude and start realizing your place in this industry, your career will end as soon as you find your first gray hair.

"Now, sit down so we can get this meeting over with."

Tanya quietly took her seat on the opposite side of the desk from me. I was intrigued about just what she had been up to that would silence her so completely when James called her out. I wasn't so curious that I wanted to find out. Whatever kept her out of my hair was fine by me. She had done nothing but make my life difficult from the day I met her.

"Edward, while I remember it, some scenes of yours need to be re-shot. Please have Jane get with Laurent on the schedules."

"Sure," I replied lightly. "What scenes?"

James scanned through some paperwork on his desk before answering. "The beach, the first scene in your office, and the opening scene at the cemetery."

"Oh, thank God," I replied. "I was afraid you were going to say the sex scene."

James chuckled and shook his head. "No, you lucked out this time."

Tanya huffed but did not say anything.

I looked back over at Jane who nodded and began typing furiously into her phone. Satisfied that she heard the necessary information, I settled into my chair and waited for the bigwigs to show up. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous. I had only met with them a few times and each time I couldn't stop fidgeting. Now, it was different. Now, I had nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. Sure, countering Tanya's claims about our 'relationship' could've been handled differently and perhaps with less public knowledge, but I felt what I'd done was the most effective. I had learned in these past several months that subtly did not work on Tanya, and I needed to do something big to show Bella the truth.

If I had tried to fix things quietly, Bella may have thought I was trying to hide our relationship, which was farthest from the truth. I had only been trying to protect her from the paparazzi. Now that they'd found her, there was no reason not to go public. We kept things quiet long enough to get proper safety measures in place for her. I was not as worried about her as I would have been if she didn't have the security fence and her dad to keep an eye out for her.

We weren't waiting long before Laurent came in with three well-dressed men trailing behind him. The trio of men controlled every aspect of the studio and ultimately our jobs. Their concern was simple. Money. Just like Marcus, their business was making money. If you could make them money, they were your best friends. If you cost them money, you'd be hard pressed to find work again. By the end of this meeting, they would know without a shadow of a doubt that I was not out to cost them money. I just wanted to do my job and get back to my girl.

James stood up and smoothed a crease in his pants. "Gentlemen, ladies, let's move this into the conference room."

The studio executives, led by Laurent and quickly joined by James, passed through the office smoothly into the adjoining conference room. I could feel their eyes on me as they passed, calculating and measuring to see where I stood. I didn't bow to their scrutiny nor was I disrespectful. I stood straight, but relaxed, while I waited for everyone to proceed me. I wanted to make sure Tanya was ahead of me. I didn't trust her at all and did not feel comfortable with her at my back. Jane and Tanya's assistant remained in the back of the conference room on a low couch where they would be out of the way but available if needed. Laurent brought over a pitcher of water and glasses for each of us before he sat down near the two women.

As I settled into my chair, I glanced up and caught Tanya staring daggers at me. Her hands were tightly folded on the table, her tendons prominent. Yep, she still was pissed. I looked away dismissively and she sucked in an angry breath. I really didn't care what she thought of me anymore.

The trio from the studio sat impassively, watching with a seemingly casual regard. They watched a little too closely. Their faces were a little too calm. I knew right at that moment that they knew a lot more than they let on, and nothing that had happened since they walked on the lot today had missed their notice. Still, I knew I had nothing to fear.

James cleared his throat and shuffled a few papers that Laurent had set in front of him. "Thank you everyone for coming so quickly. Our biggest concern is how the personal differences between Mr. Cullen and Ms. Denali will affect the rest of the filming and how the public will perceive the movie. Will they be able to work together to get the last few weeks of filming done? Will they be able to be civil to one another during the press junkets and interviews for the movie? Most importantly, will Edward and Tanya's public spat destroy the image of the characters in this movie to the point that the public won't buy into the message and see the movie? We are here to make money and if this rift makes the movie unsellable, it would be most unfortunate."

Stefan Vasile, the middle studio representative, spoke up. His old European accent giving his voice a lilting cadence. "Mr. Cullen, because of your previous history of instability, this new development has given the studio cause to be concerned. We do not want negative press on this film to affect its projected profitability. As you know, part of the draw by movie goes to most films are the actors attached to it. If your issues right now affect how the public perceives you then I and the studio will have a problem."

I nodded my head and took a breath to respond. Before I could speak, Tanya broke in.

"What about me? What about how his actions have changed how the public perceives me? Everyone thinks I'm some kind of crazed, jealous ex-girlfriend because he had to give that stupid interview on Monday."

I shook my head and wondered what a precarious position Tanya was putting herself in by her continued outbursts. She was digging her own grave for her career.

Stefan's piercing hazel eyes narrowed as his head turned towards Tanya. James shook his head slightly from side to side in disbelief.

"Ms. Denali, I was not addressing you," he murmured coldly. His voice was tightly controlled, but I could see the anger brewing underneath his calm exterior. I did not want to be in the room if that façade cracked. Tanya wisely heeded his words and kept her mouth shut.

"Mr. Cullen?" he prompted, continuing as if Tanya never interrupted him.

I cleared my throat and carefully phrased my next words. "It is true that in the past year I have hit the bottom professionally and personally, but I have climbed out of that hole and seen where I have gone wrong. I am healthier than I have ever been in my adult life, and I am more committed to my career than ever before. Despite my personal feelings toward my co-star, my abilities to fulfill my obligations have not been hampered. I do not wish my personal life to become a spectacle for the paparazzi. I just want to do the best job I can so I can put this episode behind me. This past year has been a learning experience for me. I know myself better now and what I really want out of my career."

"And what do you want out of your career, young man?"

This question came not from Stefan but his senior counterpart, Amun. Amun was the eldest of the trio, his olive-toned skin pale with age. Unlike Stefan, he no longer held the accent of his Egyptian homeland. He had been in the United States since he was a small boy and was whole-heartedly American. His gifts as a businessman allowed the studio to flourish under his tenure. He was living his American dream... just on a grander scale than most could imagine.

"I want it to be satisfying, sir. I want to be able to make enough to provide for my family comfortably, but have it still be something I am proud of at the end of the day. I want my kids to know that I did not sell out, that I stayed true to who I am. In the past year, I had almost lost that vision, but with some help, I have found my way again. This is how I've been able to put my personal feelings aside, stay dedicated my job, and perform to the best of my abilities."

Amun sat back in his chair, not commenting, but seeming to be satisfied with my response.

The third man of the trio, Liam, finally spoke up. "Ms. Denali, what about you? Are you going to be able to finish this film without making a further spectacle of yourself?"

"Of course," Tanya replied sweetly, a little too sweetly. I knew this woman. She was up to something. "I only did the interview to help promote the movie. I thought that if the public knew that Edward and I were in a relationship again that it would bring people into the theaters. Since Edward ruined that plan, I will continue to work hard at putting out a great movie."

"Ms. Denali," prompted Stephan, "What is unusual about this situation is that you expressly asked _Entertainment Tonight_ to do the interview. Is it not typical that the media contacts you to sit down for an interview?"

Tanya's face paled and she started fidgeting with a fingernail. "Um, yes, sir, it is. Normally they put a request through our agents for an interview."

"So what made giving this interview so important at this moment? Could something like this not have waited until closer to the movie release? That way, your message about your alleged relationship with your co-star would be fresher in the public's mind."

"I-I... I"

"Come on, Ms. Denali, you certainly had plenty to say earlier. Why are you so reticent now?" Amun asked.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Had they really known about Tanya's earlier ranting and raving?

The same thought must've gone through Tanya's mind because her face started to turn dark red. She took several breaths before finally speaking.

"I did the interview to try to bring some publicity to the movie. If people knew we were a couple, they would have a greater interest in the movie, and it would continue to grow and build until the movie was released," she insisted, almost making it seem like she was trying to convince herself.

"Was that all?" Stefan asked, believing accurately that there was more to her motivation.

"Mostly," Tanya said. "That and I wanted to put to rest all that garbage about his mystery girlfriend. That Bella girl was just a fling anyway. How long can they do a long-distance relationship with all the responsibilities he has here? I know Edward still has feelings for me. Hell, he was already starting to warm up to me up until last week."

My jaw hit the floor. I was completely stunned by the sheer lunacy of the words that came out of her mouth. "You're delusional if you think I have any romantic feelings towards you, Tanya," I said derisively

"What about our moment in the coffee shop?"

"What moment? You staged that whole thing. I was being nice because you were being civil to me for once. I should've known that it was all a ploy."

"It wasn't a ploy," she pleaded, her anger giving away to desperation. "You love me, I know you do."

"ENOUGH!" James roared, pounding on the conference table hard enough to rattle the glasses. "This kind of behavior is exactly what we want to prevent! How can we believe that you will be able to film the rest of the movie and not get into a fight?"

"We can not have this kind of publicity for this movie!" Stefan added, glaring at Tanya and me. Tanya sat back in her chair, looking so incredibly offended that I almost believed it was real.

I hung my head, embarrassed that I'd allowed myself to start getting pulled down into Tanya's game. "My apologies, gentlemen. I can reassure you that this will not happen again. The anger I feel over what has gone on is still a little fresh, and I let it get the best of me. I do not wish this to drag out any longer. I want to get this film finished so we can get the promotional requirements done as quickly as possible."

Liam finally spoke up again. "A lot of this stems from this Bella; this is your girlfriend? Is she not also the reason for all this unfortunate business?"

"Yes, Bella is my girlfriend but she is not the reason for all this drama. Tanya took it upon her self to do that interview. So I did mine to defend Bella and our relationship. The public needed to know the truth about what was really going on. I had no other reason than that. I had wanted to avoid putting Bella into the media spotlight, but I could not allow lies to be spread about her or myself or our relationship. Whatever else I have left to do in my life, she is a part of it."

With that last statement, Tanya huffed again and rolled her eyes. I continued to ignore her. It was hard now not to see how her actions had been spurred on by jealousy.

"Does this mean you are going to do an interview to defend yourself every time some gossip is said about you, Edward?" Liam asked.

"Of course not," I snorted. "There's been gossip said about me since I came to Hollywood. I can deal with the typical crap that is spouted by the tabloids. However, when it's my own co-star spreading the lies, it tends to hold more weight, so I did what I thought was necessary."

"Don't you think you could've handled this situation differently? Perhaps more quietly?" Amun asked.

"Probably, if I had more time to analyze the situation, but enough time had already passed, and I needed to do something very quickly."

"You made me look like a fool!" Tanya spat.

"You did that well enough on your own," I retorted, my voice starting to rise.

"I've lost credibility now because of you. I could sue you for slander!" she screeched.

"I didn't say anything about you in that entire interview that could be considered slanderous. I only said that we were not involved in a relationship nor would we ever be," I replied as calmly as I could. I kept reminding myself that we were not the only ones in the room.

"You called me a liar on national television!"

I gritted my teeth but did not respond. I wasn't going to fall in her trap again. By not speaking, it put all of the men's focus on Tanya. She was on the hot seat and didn't even know it. I couldn't wait to see how quickly she would burn.

"This is ridiculous and you are crazy, Tanya," I said, pushing away from the table. "There was nothing about your interview that was for the film. It was all about you just as it always has been with you. Gentlemen, perhaps you may be able to reason with her. I will be here ready to work Monday morning. I've said my piece. Do you have any further questions for me?"

"What's the big rush, Eddie?" Tanya sneered. "You want to hurry up and go back to your precious Bella?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. I love her, so yes, I want to be with her as much as I can."

Tanya seethed in her chair but didn't say anything further.

The three men conferred with James quietly as I looked anywhere but in Tanya's direction. If I looked at her, I was likely to hop over the table and strangle the bitch.

Stefan cleared his throat and stood up. "No, Mr. Cullen, I think you have satisfied all of our concerns. Thank you for your time and for coming down so quickly. Have you even been home yet?"

"No, sir, I came right from the airport to my agent's office to here. I wanted to get this settled once and for all."

Tanya scoffed, and I heard her mumble something under her breath about me.

Stefan held his hand out to me to shake. "Consider it settled. We are more than convinced that you are not the problem."

I shook his hand firmly before nodding to James, Liam, and Amun. I saw myself out of the office with Jane following behind me quietly. As I closed the door to James's office, I heard Stefan speak coldly, "Ms. Denali, we need to have a chat about your future."

As we walked past the receptionist desk in the lobby of the studio's offices, I was finally able to let out the last of the tension in my body, tension that I didn't even realize I had been holding in. Jane continued to follow behind me, silent but the cold resignation seemed to have left her body. I'm not sure what brought about her change, but I welcomed it compared to what she was like before.

Marcus's car pulled up just as we were walking out of the building. Jane had impeccable timing when she called for the car just at the right moment. I didn't want to stick around outside in case the she-witch came flying out on her broom. The chauffer quickly opened the door for us, and I waited until Jane was all the way in before I slid inside the car.

"There isn't anyone else that wants to meet with me today, is there?" I asked, as I got comfortable in the thick leather seat.

Jane checked the calendar on her phone briefly before answering. "No, the rest of your day is free."

"Good. I'd like to keep it that way for the remainder of the weekend. If anyone wants to talk to me, they can wait until Monday. I don't want to be bothered by anyone until then."

"Very well." Jane made a few notations in her phone then set it down on the seat between us.

"Did you park at Marcus' office?"

"No, the car picked me up and brought me to the airport to pick you up."

"Alright, I'll tell the driver to drop you off at your place."

I leaned forward in the seat to get the driver's attention. He already knew where she lived, so I didn't need to ask Jane for any directions. I had never been to her home so I had no idea what to expect. I didn't even know if she had a house or an apartment.

The drive didn't take long, but I noticed that we were driving into rougher parts of Los Angeles. If this was the area where Jane lived, she certainly gave no indication of it by the way she dressed and acted. I knew I certainly paid her enough to live in a better neighborhood than this. The car slowed and turned into small housing development. The majority of the houses were at least fifty to sixty years old and were starting to show wear and tear.

As we pulled into the driveway of a small, blue bungalow, Jane tensed up beside to me.

"Thank you," she said shortly as the driver hopped out and opened her door.

"Wait a second, Jane," I said quickly before she was able to escape. She looked over at me, saw the questions on my face, and rushed out of the car.

I scrambled out of the car and followed her. She only got as far as her front door before I caught up to her.

"What's wrong?"

Jane played with her keys in her hand as she looked everywhere but at me.

"I saw how you looked at my house and the neighborhood I live in. I'm sure you want to know why I live here when my income could afford me a much nicer area."

I smiled softly, suddenly realizing how difficult this was for her to talk about. "It had crossed my mind, but it is none of my business what you do with your money."

Jane nodded appreciatively. "Life is not always what it seems."

With that cryptic response, she unlocked her door and entered her house, leaving me on her front step. I stood there for a moment in stunned silence staring at her closed front door. Why would she say something like that? What was she hiding? Granted, I didn't know her so well as to know for a fact that she hiding was something, but a person wouldn't make a statement like that unless there was something more going on. Ever so slowly, it seemed like she was opening up to me. Perhaps she would choose to confide in me at some point.

Shrugging my shoulders, I walked back to the car and asked the driver to unlock the trunk. I quickly retrieved my carry-on bag and settled back into my seat. My stomach had begun to growl and one of Bella's muffins would do the trick until I got home to eat something proper. Although, the trip to Ohio hadn't been planned so who knew what was growing in my fridge after a week. A run to the grocery store appeared to be in my near future, after a stop to the dumpster.

I sighed as I ate one of the muffins. The actions of the day weighed down on me, only thoughts of Bella helped to keep my spirit up. I had only been in California for maybe half a day and already I was exhausted. Jet lag would do that, I supposed, as well as dealing with Tanya. In any given day, just thinking about dealing with Tanya was enough to tire me out.

The scenery outside my window flew by as the driver made good time to my apartment building. I just wanted to relax and talk to Bella a little bit. I was tempted to call Seth and tell him that I ran into his cousin and his aunt. It was still a little shocking that despite growing up on opposite ends of the country, we still managed to know some of the same people.

"Mr. Cullen?"

I jumped in my seat, startled by the voice of my driver. I must've nodded off at some point because the car was parked outside of my complex.

"Oh! Yeah, sorry about that. Jet lag," I said as I scurried out of the car.

The driver already had my carry-on bag on the curb waiting for me. He swiftly shut the door behind me as I blinked in the bright, California sunlight. I fished around for my sunglasses before I realized that I hadn't brought any with me.

"Thank you," I said to the driver, shaking his hand and slipping a few folded up bills at the same time.

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. Have a good afternoon and welcome home."

I turned and grabbed my bag before walking into the lobby of my building. The usual security guard was there, as always, making sure only the residents of the building and welcomed guests were allowed any further.

"Mr. Cullen! I haven't seen you in a week! Did you go up to Washington to see your family for the holiday?"

I laughed as I shook the older man's hand. "Brian, you don't watch much television do you?"

"I try not to, Mr. Cullen."

"How many times have I told you to call me Edward, Brian?"

"Only every time, Mr. Cullen," Brian replied with a smile.

-bfto-bfto-bfto-bfto-bfto-

Finally, I was back in my apartment, free of everyone and everything. I dropped my bag with a thump in the entryway and stumbled into the living room. Everything was just as I'd left it when I'd hurried to Ohio last week. The smell of rotten produce and something else gone rancid wafted from the kitchen. I sincerely hoped there wasn't anything in the kitchen that had sprouted fuzz in the past week. Pictures of Bella and my family adorned a corner table. As I walked by, I touched the picture of Bella, my finger caressing her cheek.

The late afternoon sun poured through the floor to ceiling windows from the far side of the room. My piano glowed in the sunlight and my fingers itched to dance along the keys. My fantasy from months before came back with a vengeance, causing my body to react in a most inconvenient way. Now that Bella would be here in a few weeks, the fantasy seemed more real. Sighing at the state of my pants, I knew I would need to take care of business in the near future.

First, the funk in the kitchen needed to be dealt with before I did anything else. The smell was starting to bother me as I approached the kitchen. I wished I'd had the foresight to have hired someone to come in and clean while I was gone. I grabbed a pair of gloves and a garbage bag, held my breath, and opened the fridge.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Sure, the lettuce was mushy and the nectarines were fuzzy, but the rest of the produce was fine. However, something still was quite rank in my fridge, and I couldn't find anything else that had spoiled. I dug through all the various items and containers one more time until I came across something in the very back. I pulled out a plastic container that held some leftover black beans. My memory failed me as I tried to remember the last time I ate black beans. I peered through the plastic and the beans looked okay. However, the second I opened the container I was hit with a noxious smell of fermented beans. My stomach churned and I quickly resealed the container and tossed it in the trash bag.

Hoping that was the last of the nastiness in the kitchen, I tied up the bag and set it by the trashcan to take out to the dumpster later. Already it seemed like the kitchen smelled better. Satisfied, I grabbed my carry-on bag from the entryway door and headed into my bedroom.

My bedroom screamed bachelor. It had none of the loving touches of Bella's home. Sure, I had a few pictures on my wall and some other décor, but it was just missing that thing. I realized what was missing. Bella. Bella was the missing thing. I sighed, unpacked my bag, and couldn't wait until Bella was here with me.

The rest of my day went by quickly as I got back into the routine of things. I took a much needed shower to wash off the grime from travelling and to relieve the tension that had been building in my pants. A quick stop at the dumpster to dump the garbage and a mostly incognito trip to the grocery store finished off my day.

Going out in Los Angeles was a give or take when it came to being recognized. The regular people who work in the city had gotten used to seeing celebrities doing ordinary things. Some of the mystery dies when you see an A-list movie star grabbing milk and trying to decide what kind of jelly to buy. That's when most people realize that celebrities are just ordinary people. It's the celebrities that vie for attention and become media whores that create problems for the rest of us.

I was recognized at the store but thankfully left alone. I was sure my photo was taken and would probably show up online later on, but at least I was not disturbed. I just wanted to buy my milk and jelly in peace. This grocery store was frequented by other actors and musicians too, so it was a bit easier to blend in. I'd even saw Tommy Lee here a few times. He was a little scary, truth be told. I sincerely hoped I looked better than he did when I got to his age.

Returning to the set on Monday proved to be very anticlimactic. Whatever the studio heads had told Tanya had worked because I barely heard a peep out of her except when we were working a scene. That didn't stop the hateful glares but at least she wasn't talking to me. That alone was enough to make me thankful.

The drama from the interviews and the outing of my relationship with Bella eventually died down. It seemed that the studio's worries about it affecting the movie were unfounded. However, it remained to be seen what would develop during the press junkets and interview circuits. I saw our pictures in the gossip rags, but it wasn't anything I hadn't expected. I talked to Bella every day and I was pleased when things seemed to calm down for her as well. Perhaps it would be possible for us to really have a relationship without it drastically affecting her life.

Jane continued to be aloof but we seemed to get along better than before. Something changed after the meeting with the studio executives. I didn't know exactly what, but I was very happy my rapport with Jane was improving.

She made all the arrangements I asked for without question, including the first class tickets that Bella objected to me buying. I wanted to keep Bella safe and do something nice for her. Eventually she relented. I knew she would love flying first class once she had the chance.

Before I knew it, the day that Bella was due to arrive was here, and I couldn't wait to show her my world. I was excited to show her my life in LA and make her a part of it, just as she'd made me a part of hers in Ohio.

**A/N Thanks for reading! Next chapter – Bella's in Cali! (Which is what this chapter was supposed to be but Edward kinda ran with it during that lovely meeting with Tanya)**


	24. Update

To all my loyal (and patient) Breaking From the Ordinary readers...

I got a review today from the last chapter that gave me pause, so I wanted to clear up any confusion about the status of this story.

I have NOT discontinued writing this story. Yes, it has been a considerable amount of time since I have updated it, but I was working on some other projects and needed a bit of a break from it. There is quite a bit left to BFTO, all of which has been loosely outlined. I am hoping to get something posted in the next month. I was a little ambitious when I first outlined this story, making it much longer than I originally imagined.

In the mean time, please check out my one-shots and my others stories that are listed in my profile. I am currently working on a new story that I will post when it's done or nearly done. It will be much shorter than BFTO is slated to be. The new story is coming along nicely and should post soon.

Thank you for your patience and your continued interest in my writing.

Please do not "review reply" this as I will replace it with the next chapter which finds Bella in LA – in the mouth of the monster.


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